A suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is being investigated in Leicestershire.

Farmers leaders in Britain have reacted angrily to Government claims that farmers themselves may have been responsible for the rapid spread of foot-and-mouth.

If Britain fails to control foot-and-mouth, 50% of livestock will have to be destroyed, the Government's chief scientist has warned.

Signs of dissent are emerging among Scottish farmers towards the pre-emptive cull of thousands of sheep.

Britain's chief vet Jim Scudamore is visiting Cumbria to explain the Government's planned pre-emptive slaughter of up to 500,000 healthy animals to farmers.

The British Government is resisting pressure from countryside leaders to delay elections because of the impact foot-and-mouth could have on campaigning.

The National Farmers' Union in England have appealed for racing not to resume tomorrow.

Media hysteria is being blamed by a leading economist for fuelling the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The British Government has announced the early release of compensation for the crisis-hit farming community as the number of cases of foot and mouth disease rose to 52.

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has vowed that the UK Government will take all necessary steps to combat the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

British vets have confirmed animals slaughtered on a farm next door to the establishment suspected of being the source of the foot-and-mouth outbreak did have the infection.

Government officials are trying to discover the source of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease threatening to cripple Britain's farming industry.