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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Foot-and-mouth virus was in pipe | Foot-and-mouth virus was in pipe |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Investigators say the virus that led to the UK's recent foot-and-mouth outbreak was probably present in a pipe on the nearby Pirbright laboratory complex. | Investigators say the virus that led to the UK's recent foot-and-mouth outbreak was probably present in a pipe on the nearby Pirbright laboratory complex. |
| The Health and Safety Executive found biosecurity lapses at the Surrey site. | The Health and Safety Executive found biosecurity lapses at the Surrey site. |
| The virus would have been in a pipe running from the Merial pharmaceutical firm to a treatment plant operated by a government-run lab on the same complex. | The virus would have been in a pipe running from the Merial pharmaceutical firm to a treatment plant operated by a government-run lab on the same complex. |
| It is believed the pipe may have been damaged by tree roots before flooding pushed virus traces to the surface. | It is believed the pipe may have been damaged by tree roots before flooding pushed virus traces to the surface. |
| It is not known how the virus found its way on to the farmland a few miles away following the flooding on 20 July. | |
| But the investigation did establish that contractors working at Pirbright at the time travelled to and from the site using a country road adjoining the farmland where the first outbreak occurred. | But the investigation did establish that contractors working at Pirbright at the time travelled to and from the site using a country road adjoining the farmland where the first outbreak occurred. |
| Ongoing talks | Ongoing talks |
| The Pirbright lab complex is shared by the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), an international diagnostic laboratory, and the private pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health. | The Pirbright lab complex is shared by the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), an international diagnostic laboratory, and the private pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health. |
| See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image | See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image |
| Experts were sent to the Pirbright site after it emerged that the strain of disease being studied there was the same as the one that infected cattle at a farm in Guildford at the beginning of August. | Experts were sent to the Pirbright site after it emerged that the strain of disease being studied there was the same as the one that infected cattle at a farm in Guildford at the beginning of August. |
| The BBC understands that ongoing talks are taking place between Merial and the government about whose responsibility it is to maintain the pipe. | The BBC understands that ongoing talks are taking place between Merial and the government about whose responsibility it is to maintain the pipe. |
| There is also concern that worries about the condition of the pipe escaped the notice of government inspectors who licensed the laboratories. | There is also concern that worries about the condition of the pipe escaped the notice of government inspectors who licensed the laboratories. |
| A broader investigation by leading scientist, Professor Sir Brian Spratt, has highlighted a lack of co-ordination in biosecurity between Merial and the IAH. | A broader investigation by leading scientist, Professor Sir Brian Spratt, has highlighted a lack of co-ordination in biosecurity between Merial and the IAH. |
| The disease outbreak became apparent on 3 August in a herd of cattle kept by farmer Roger Pride in fields at Normandy, near Guildford. | The disease outbreak became apparent on 3 August in a herd of cattle kept by farmer Roger Pride in fields at Normandy, near Guildford. |
| A neighbouring herd at Woolford Farm tested positive a few days later. | A neighbouring herd at Woolford Farm tested positive a few days later. |