New foot-and-mouth case confirmed

Tests have confirmed a new case of foot-and-mouth disease in Surrey.

Around 40 cattle feared to have the disease have been slaughtered on a farm within the current 3km protection zone which was set up after the latest cases emerged near Egham.

Tests were carried out after the animals displayed clinical signs of the disease but a spokeswoman for The Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs.

There have so far been six confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth in Surrey since the initial outbreak at the start of August.

A number of sites outside Surrey have also been investigated and several control zones set up, but these have all proved to be false alarms.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "The decision has been taken to slaughter cattle on suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease on a farm in Surrey."

On Thursday night a temporary control zone imposed around a farm near Solihull, West Midlands was lifted after tests on animals for foot-and-mouth disease proved negative.

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