Foot and mouth controls to ease
8:06am Wednesday 17th October 2007 in News By Daniel Knowles
Signs of foot and mouth to disappear
The foot and mouth protection zone around Egham is expected to be lifted today but Defra warns farmers need to remain watchful for the disease.
Defra's advice that the protection zone will be lifted but surveillance will continue comes despite a foot and mouth scare in Rye, East Sussex earlier this week.
The department says preliminary checks have revealed the Rye alert was a false alarm and the easing of restrictions looks set to continue.
Deputy Government vet Fred Landeg said the surveillance zone would remain in place until at least November 5.
The foot and mouth risk area will also remain, but the size of the area and the current movement restrictions will be constantly reviewed.
"We are well aware of the economic impacts of movement restrictions and the removal of the Great Britain movement ban, outside of the foot and mouth disease risk area should help the farming industry start to get back to business as usual," he said.
