THE outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Northumberland has demonstrated that any thoughts of the epidemic being under control were premature.

If the disease has been able return to the area after a gap of three months, then no part of Britain can declare itself safe.

And, with colder weather, when the virus is at its most virulent, on its way, there is no guarantee that the Northumberland outbreak will be an isolated incident.

Fears of a new wave of foot-and-mouth have prompted fresh calls for the use of vaccination to control the disease.

If vaccination ensures that the epidemic will come to an end, then it cannot be opposed.

But the six months since the first outbreak have shown that there are no guarantees.

However, it is clear that the policy of culling livestock is not beyond reproach. Lessons must be learned from the epidemic, when it is finally brought to an end.

The only guarantee is that foot-and-mouth will return some time in the future. And, for the well-being of the national economy, it is vital that we handle the emergency better next time.

We need to know whether the slaughter of infected and healthy animals is indeed the best method of containment and control, as we have been consistently told since February.

Or whether, on the grounds of animal welfare and efficiency, vaccination is the better option.

We trust that the Government will not shy away from the question, even if the answer it gets suggests that it mishandled the crisis first time round.

WE will never know for sure what drove Karl Bluestone to bludgeon to death his wife and two of his children before taking his own life.

He appeared to be a devoted husband and father, and a committed police officer.

What triggered those few minutes of madness is a matter of conjecture.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the two young children left orphaned by this tragedy, and also with the relatives left with the daunting task of rebuilding their own lives and those of a seven-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl.