Mass Livestock Slaughter Begins

BBC News

The mass slaughter of thousands of pigs and cattle on farms across England has begun in an attempt to wipe out foot-and-mouth disease.

Chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore said animals were being slaughtered on the six confirmed outbreak sites and two nearby farms.

The movement of all livestock in Britain was banned for seven days from Friday evening in an effort to contain the disease.

Mr Scudamore said there had been no further confirmed outbreaks of the disease, calling it "a hopeful sign".

He said there would be slaughter at "contact farms", one near the suspected source of the outbreak in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, and one in Kent, neither of which has been confirmed as having the disease.