A NEW case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in Northumberland today.

It is the first cast in the North-East for almost 12 weeks.

Last night, three cows and their calves which were showing signs of infection were slaughtered at a farm near Hexham. A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the remaining cattle and sheep on the farm would be slaughtered today.

At 11am, Arthur Griffiths, the divisional veterinary manager, and regional operations director, John Bradbury, were due to hold a news conference at the Newcastle Disease Emergency Control Centre at Kenton Bar, on the outskirts of Newcastle at 11am.

Richard Ellison, National Farmers Union North East director, described the fresh outbreak as "a major setback". It shows that the disease was still prevalent in the run-up to autumn and it has not been killed off by recent warm weather.

A Defra spokesman said the case was the first since June 3, almost 12 weeks ago. But Mr Ellison said it was the first in Northumberland since May 22, 12 days prior to that.

Mr Ellison said it is a very major setback because farmers know that the disease is more difficult to eradicate in cold, wet conditions and it is very close to autumn.

He said: "As I understand it, the farmer reported it himself and the animals are being killed off this morning so in terms of speed of response, we think everything that could be done is being done."

He hoped the case believed to be towards Northumberland's border with Cumbria was not the start of a new series of outbreaks.

Mr Ellison added: "We knew there would be isolated outbreaks, that is what happened in 1967, but what we fear is that we will be back to February."

He said there had been two outbreaks in his region, which covers Northumberland down to Yorkshire, last week, after peaking at up to 30 cases a day.