New outbreak of bluetongue found

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The disease, which can be fatal to animals such as cows and sheep, was identified in 18 cattle on premises near Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Defra said the animals originated from a bluetongue-restricted zone in Germany. The disease was picked up during post-import testing carried out on all susceptible animals arriving from the Continent.

Last month the disease was found in two rams, in Lewes, East Sussex, and Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, which had been imported from France where the disease has re-emerged this summer.

Bluetongue was also identified in eight cattle imported from Germany to a farm in Tiverton, Devon.

The first outbreak in the UK hit the country late last summer, at the same time as the farming industry was battling foot-and-mouth disease in Surrey. In this latest case, the infected animals will remain under restriction until late October.

Around 30 million doses of vaccine have so far been made available to farmers throughout England and Wales to protect their stock from the disease, Defra said.

Under EU rules, vaccination can only take place within the protection zone, which since September 1 covers all of England and Wales.

Alick Simmons, Defra's deputy chief veterinary officer, said the threat from bluetongue was "present and real".

"This incident shows how important it is for farmers to consider potential disease risks when buying stock, regardless of source," he said. Buyers need to consider how best to protect their own businesses and those of their neighbours and make sure they are clear about the stock they are intending to buy."