A suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease has been discovered 30 miles away from the last outbreak in Surrey.
A suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease has been discovered 30 miles away from the last outbreak in Surrey.
The government has set up a three-mile exclusion zone in the Egham area around the affected site and a pre-emptive slaughter of cattle has been ordered.
The government has set up a three-mile exclusion zone in the Egham area around the affected site and a pre-emptive slaughter of cattle has been ordered.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is due to chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee at 1700 BST.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is due to chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee at 1700 BST.
A report into the previous outbreak blamed a leaking pipe at the nearby Pirbright animal research site.
A report into the August outbreak blamed a leaking pipe at the nearby Pirbright animal research site.
Samples from the suspect farm are undergoing initial tests. The Cobra meeting will take place once the government has received the results.
Samples from the suspect farm are undergoing initial tests. The Cobra meeting will take place once the government has received the results.
Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said it could potentially put farmers back to where they were on 3 August.
He said if the results were positive, it could "shut the industry down again".
Previous outbreak
The control zone was set up around the suspected outbreak at 0935 BST.
Earlier in the summer, two farms tested positive for the disease but the all-clear has since been given.
Earlier in the summer, two farms tested positive for the disease but the all-clear has since been given.
Foot-and-mouth was confirmed in a herd of cattle at Woolford Farm in Surrey on 3 August.
Foot-and-mouth was confirmed in a herd of cattle at Woolford Farm in Surrey on 3 August.
A second case, at a farm nearby, was confirmed on 7 August.
A second case, at a farm nearby, was confirmed on 7 August.
On 7 September, the government declared Surrey to be foot-and-mouth free.
On 7 September, the government declared Surrey to be foot-and-mouth free.
A report into the previous outbreak found it was probably caused by leaking drains, heavy rain and building work at the Pirbright site, four miles from where the disease was originally found.
But the Health and Safety Executive said it was not clear which of the two labs which share the site - Merial, a private pharmaceutical company, and the Institute of Animal Health (IAH) - were responsible.
Do you live near the site of the suspected outbreak? Do you have any information that you would like to share? Send us your comments by filling in the form below.
Do you live near the site of the suspected outbreak? Do you have any information that you would like to share? Send us your comments by filling in the form below.
