THE outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was feared to have spread to the North-East last night.

A five-mile exclusion zone, which bans movement of livestock, was placed around a farm in Heddon-on-the-Wall, near Newcastle.

A Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (Maff) spokesman said last night: "This follows reports of highly-suspicious diseases in a number of pigs on that premises.

"This case is linked to the first confirmed outbreak in an abattoir in Essex."

Earlier, hunting was ban-ned and people were warned to keep away from farmland in an effort to prevent an epidemic of the disease.

Both city and rural dwellers were urged to stay away from livestock.

All hunting has been cancelled for a week and a point-to-point race which had been due to take place near to the Essex abattoir where the outbreak was identified on Tuesday has been postponed.

Zoos were warned to keep an eye on animals which could contract the disease, while postmen were asked to leave all mail at farm gates to avoid spreading it.

Organisers of next month's Countryside March in London called on protestors not to attend from affected areas.

The European Commission, meanwhile, warned it would extend the ban on Britain's £8m-a-week exports of live animals, meat and dairy products beyond the current March 1 deadline if the disease had not been totally eradicated.

Farmers that have to slaughter cattle because of the disease have been promised compensation at full market value.

There were fears earlier yesterday that the disease might have spread to a second abattoir in Guildford, Surrey.

A bullock at the slaughterhouse was destroyed as a precaution but the site was later given the all-clear.

So far, the disease has only been confirmed at the abattoir in Little Warley, Essex, and a farm nearby.

Britain's farmers were warned they would have to wait at least a week before the full extent of the outbreak is known, while Agriculture Minister Nick Brown admitted that the cost to British farming could soar past the estimated £8m in lost exports.

"If this gets a grip and we are unable to control it, the figure will be much larger than that," said Mr Brown.

Industry bosses also faced seeing millions of pounds wiped off the value of their £250m-a-week domestic market as the market is flooded with extra supplies which would previously have been exported.

www.maff.gov.uk

Cows slaughtered - Page