Vigilance urged over foot-and-mouth

A number of pigs within the existing protection zone imposed around scene of the latest outbreak, near Egham in Surrey, were culled today as a precaution, said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Farmers outside the wider-reaching surveillance zones are now being allowed to take their animals directly for slaughter after transport restrictions were relaxed.

A spokeswoman for Defra said: "We reiterate the message by the Chief Vet Debbie Reynolds - that vigilance is still of paramount importance."

Hugh Broom, vice-chairman of the Surrey NFU (National Farmers' Union), echoed this, saying: "It's good there have been no further cases, however we have to keep working as hard as we can to combat the disease. Biosecurity and vigilance with livestock for all animal keepers remains an absolute must."

Scientists, meanwhile, continue to investigate exactly what strain of the virus was behind the latest outbreak. Experts have indicated that it is likely to be the same as that found in animals culled last month near Guildford. A Health and Safety Executive probe found the disease may have escaped from a leaky pipe running between a Government-run Animal health laboratory and privately-run pharmaceuticals firm, Merial Animal Health, at nearby Pirbright.

Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, said: "We know from bitter previous experience that nobody can relax their guard, however it is encouraging that there appear so far to have been no new cases outside the existing protection zone.

"What remains an almost unbelievable stain on the Government's name is the fact that they seem to have been responsible through negligence for these outbreaks, at Pirbright.

"As and when the dust settles there will be some very very serious questions for the Government to answer."

In the latest outbreak, cattle which tested positive for the disease have been slaughtered at two farms within the existing 1.8-mile (3km) protection zone at Egham. Pigs at another farm within the zone were destroyed as a precaution after tests on the animals proved inconclusive.