Farmers fear new outbreak

Midlands farmers based close to a temporary exclusion zone set up around a farm today spoke of their fears of a suspected foot and mouth outbreak.

The zone was set up around a farm near Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull, after a report of an animal potentially suffering from the virus. Farming chiefs said the rural community across the West Midlands was on alert.

Joan Rawlins, who runs Ash End House Children's Farm on the outskirts of Solihull, said she was worried about the effect on business.

"We are obviously very concerned," she said. "Lots of people have been calling asking if we are going to remain open but we are 99.9 per cent positive that we are not going to be affected. In 2001 we made the decision to close but didn't have to. I imagine there will be a drop in visitor numbers but all we can do is cross our fingers."

A National Farmers Union (NFU) spokesman stressed the exclusion zone was only a precautionary measure at this stage.

He said: "We certainly hope it's not foot and mouth but at this stage all we can do is wait for the results of scientific tests."

David Collier, West Midlands NFU chairman, said everyone in the faming community was "extremely concerned".

Sandwell councillor Linda Horton added: "We put precautionary measures in place following the recent outbreak. These include placing straw mats soaked in mild disinfectant at every vehicle entrance to Sandwell Valley as well as at entrances to all buildings."

Liberal Democrat shadow environment secretary Chris Huhne said: "If this latest case is confirmed, it would be devastating news for farmers and the rural economy. A case so far from the cluster of confirmed incidents in Surrey would suggest a big problem."

Nigel Robinson of Hatton Country World in Warwickshire said disinfectant foot mats and vehicle mats had been put around the site as a precaution.

Meanwhile, more than 100 reports of possible cases of foot and mouth disease have been examined and ruled out, with 1,700 animals slaughtered since the initial outbreak in August, according to the chief vet.

The first outbreak infected two farms near the village of Normandy, in Surrey. Three new cases near Egham, Surrey, have emerged in the last two weeks.

A number of sites outside the county have also been investigated and several control zones set up. All have proved false alarms, with no cases of foot and mouth detected outside of Surrey since the outbreak.

The original outbreak has been blamed on the virus escaping from leaking pipes at the nearby Pirbright lab.

Government chief vet Dr Debby Reynolds said cattle on the fifth infected premises - Klondyke Farm, near Egham, Surrey - had foot and mouth lesions that were more than 10 days old.