Farmers stunned by double disease blow

Nearly three months after the last reported case in County Durham and Northumberland, ministry officials announced that animals at Taylor Burn Farm, at Ninebanks, between Hexham and Alston, had been infected.

It also emerged that a flock of sheep near Hamsterley Forest, in Teesdale, has tested positive for the disease.

The farm, which has not been named, is awaiting the results of a second test before foot-and-mouth can be officially confirmed.

The Ninebanks case brings the spectre of foot-and-mouth to the edge of Upper Weardale, which is less than four miles away across open moorland.

Three cows and their calves belonging to farmer Peter Robson were slaughtered on Thursday when symptoms were spotted.

The remaining 62 cattle and 200 sheep were killed yesterday, along with livestock from five neighbouring farms.

Ministry officials, epidemiologists and Mr Robson were all at a loss to explain the cause of this outbreak.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is mapping animal movements involving Taylor Burn Farm to establish how the disease reached the farm.

A spokesman for Defra said: "The most likely explanation is the movement of people, vehicles or animals. However, at this stage we simply don't know."

A three kilometre protection zone, containing 60 premises, and a ten kilometre surveillance zone have been established round the farm, restricting the movement of people and animals.

Officials at Northumberland County Council immediately moved to close footpaths within the 10km zone, but their counterparts in County Durham said there were no immediate plans to follow suit.

The popular attractions of Nenthead Mining Museum and Killhope Lead Mining Centre fall within the surveillance area.

The suspected case at Hamsterley comes only days before an expected announcement about the end of movement restrictions.

Defra was expected to announce an end of movement restrictions on farms in parts of Teesdale on Tuesday.

Phil Barber, secretary of the Teesdale branch of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) said: "They've had a positive blood test in Hamsterley, but the flock of sheep is being re-tested to make sure it's not incompetent testing."

Defra said only routine blood sampling had been carried out in the area ahead of lifting the Zone D category.

NFU leaders say the double blow has put back the rejuvenation of the North-East countryside by several weeks.

The farming community is now praying that the Nine banks outbreak will remain isolated and not spread onto the open fells of the Tyne and Wear valleys.

NFU North-East director Richard Ellison said: "This news will send tremors through North-West Dur-ham and South-West Northumberland.

"It is particularly worrying because no one yet knows the source and it occurred in an area untouched by the last outbreak."

Divisional veterinary manager Arthur Griffiths described it as a serious setback. "This is a stark reminder to all livestock producers and people visiting farms to ensure they are continuing to do everything possible to guard against risk."

Nine Banks farmer Peter Robson insists he took every precaution. His wife, Mavis told The Northern Echo: "We are just terribly sorry for everyone else.

"We realise this will set Northumberland back so far. The epidemiologist who visited went through our records and diaries and couldn't explain where it came from."

John Bradbury, Newcastle Disease Emergency Control Centre operations manager, promised that culled animals would not be taken to the County Durham burial site at Tow Law, but would be taken out of the region.

Yesterday, Defra announced that the strict bio-security rules introduced to combat the spread of the disease in North Yorkshire are to be extended for another fortnight.

Round-the-clock patrols will continue in the Thirsk biosecurity area, where officials are battling to prevent foot-and-mouth hitting Britain's main pig industry in the Vale of York and East Yorkshire.

Read more about foot-and-mouth here.