Foot-and-mouth tests at new farm

There is a "clinical suspicion" of a new foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey - outside the existing surveillance zone, it has been announced.

Chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds said a new 3km (1.8 mile) temporary control zone was in place at a farm.

Laurence Matthews, who leases the farm, near Dorking, said he was sure his cattle did not have the disease.

A confirmed outbreak would be the first outside the existing 10km (6.2 miles) surveillance zone.

That is around two Guildford farms where the disease has been confirmed.

'Developing situation'

Ms Reynolds said the new control zone - at Wotton, not far from the two confirmed cases of the disease near Guildford - had been set up after an "inconclusive assessment" of symptoms in cattle.

She said the disease had not been confirmed and that laboratory results would follow.

"This is a developing disease situation," she added.

"The containment and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease remains our priority.

"This is why we have moved swiftly to put in place a temporary control zone while we investigate this development."

Mr Matthews said he called in a government vet when 10 of his 65 calves showed signs of a virus.

He said the results of tests would be available later on Friday and he was "absolutely sure" they would be negative for foot-and-mouth.

"I'm waiting for the results and really hoping they are going to be good," he said.

"The vet is confident they don't have foot-and-mouth. This is really a belt and braces job."

Suspicion

Mr Matthews owns land used by farmer John Gunner in the initial exclusion zone, where the second outbreak of foot-and-mouth was found.

He said none of his own cattle had been inside the zone.

The first cases of foot-and-mouth were found in cattle at Woolford Farm, near Guildford, last Friday and a second outbreak was confirmed at a neighbouring farm on Monday. Cattle in both cases have been culled.

A 3km (1.8 mile) protection zone was set up around the original affected farms as well as a wider 10km (6.2 miles) surveillance zone.

Some 362 animals have been culled at a third farm within that surveillance zone, on suspicion that the disease could be developing there.

Results of tests at that farm have yet to be announced.

Vaccinations call

Farmers said they were relieved the disease had not spread too far, but expressed concern over the new control zone.

Mike Giffin, chairman of the Surrey branch of the National Farmers' Union, said: "I think farmers are thinking this is not 2001.

"We've got it - it's very, very localised. Defra has acted quickly, we've got it under control at the moment and most - nearly all - of the country is still foot-and-mouth free."

But Bert Broom, also of the Surrey branch, said the latest development was "worrying".

"It will be worrying for our members here and for farmers elsewhere in the country," he said.

"But, thankfully at the moment, we're not talking about an outbreak outside Surrey."

Lib Dem environment spokesman Chris Huhne urged the government to consider vaccinations to stop the disease spreading.

Investigation

Restrictions on taking animals to abattoirs have been lifted but many movements of livestock - such as sending animals to market - are still banned.

Some restrictions had already been lifted in Scotland and Wales.

Health inspectors are reportedly looking into the possibility that foot-and-mouth was originally transferred by employees at vaccine manufacturer Merial, based at the Pirbright lab site, near the original affected farms.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said that either private company Merial, or the state-run Institute for Animal Health, both based at Pirbright, could be the source of the outbreak.