Butchers in pledge over meat

Butchers today moved to reassure customers that meat stocks are not affected by the weekend's foot and mouth disease outbreak.

But they fear a 'knock on effect' and rising supply costs if cattle around the country have to be culled.

Around the region farmers and butchers said they were relieved that the Government appeared to have contained Thursday's outbreak in Surrey and imposed movement bans on livestock straight away.

They fear a repeat of 2001's outbreak, when thousands of cows in the Black Country and Staffordshire were incinerated, would damage their trade.

Michael Robinson of Robinson's butchers in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, said : "It is a concern to all of us but it looks like there was no delay in taking action and bringing in control measures this time.

"I hope farmers will be able to get on with their business and keep supplying us.

"The problem is there can be a knock on effect because if a herd has to be destroyed it can take 12 to 24 months to replace it."

Steven Bennett of Allan Bennett butchers in Codsall said: "The coverage this weekend hasn't affected our business but it is still early.

"We are quite lucky because we hang our beef for three weeks so we have enough to keep us going for ten days without any trouble.

"We get all our meat locally, from Bridgnorth and Ludlow, so we aren't affected by what's happened in Surrey."

Adrian Jackson, director of Boxley's butchers in Wombourne, said: "At the moment we're just going to wait and see because it's contained and we hope it won't be too much of a problem."

Farmers across the Black Country and Staffordshire are fearing for their livelihoods.

Ian Sadler, who keeps cows, sheep and lambs on his farm on Church Hill close to Kinver Edge, had animals ready to go to market but had to put his plans on hold.