The farmer at the centre of the latest foot and mouth scare said today he is sure his livestock do not have the disease.

Hopes that the foot and mouth outbreak had been contained were dealt a blow today after a new suspected case of the virulent virus was discovered.

There is a “strong possibility” that the Pirbright laboratory facility is the source of the foot-and-mouth outbreak, it was announced tonight.

Tests have confirmed that there has been a second outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK, British Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said today.

Experts were tonight probing whether the recent floods in England may be behind the foot and mouth outbreak, as the battle to contain the disease continued.

The animal vaccine company based a few miles from the foot and mouth disease outbreak in the UK insisted today there was still no evidence to link it with the case.

The investigation into how cattle in England became infected with foot-and-mouth disease is now focusing on a nearby research laboratory.