The British Ramblers Association today condemned those who have flouted biosecurity measures imposed to halt the spread of foot and mouth disease.

Fears of “enormous economic consequences” for the livestock industry have been raised as tests indicate the virus strain in the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak is the same as that which infected two herds last month.

Tonight’s race meeting at Kempton is set to go ahead despite the return of foot-and-mouth disease just miles from the Surrey course.

The threat of foot and mouth disease in the UK returned today after a suspected outbreak in the Egham area of Surrey.

The remaining restrictions on livestock imposed in the wake of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the UK will be lifted today after experts declared the disease had been eradicated.

The recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on two farms in Surrey in England was probably caused by leaky drains combined with heavy rain, building work and vehicles moving from a nearby laboratory, experts said today.

Official reports into the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak are being published today – and are expected to say faulty drainage pipes at a nearby laboratory could have released the disease.

The recent foot and mouth outbreak in the UK could have been caused by faulty drainage pipes at the nearby Pirbright laboratories or spread by construction workers from the site, it was reported today.

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.

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.

European Union officials may give the North special regional status to export beef and other goods following its response to the Surrey foot-and-mouth outbreak, it emerged today.

Farmers were today anxiously waiting to discover the outcome of tests on a suspected case of foot-and-mouth at a British farm.

The ministers for agriculture and justice are visiting foot-and-mouth border control posts in counties Monaghan and Donegal today.

Another foot-and-mouth scare has hit the Republic of Ireland.

The Department of Agriculture is playing down a fresh foot-and-mouth scare in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Finance minister Charlie McCreevy tonight said the full effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis on Ireland’s agriculture and tourism-dependent economy had still to be assessed.

The Republic waits today for the results of tests on a sheep blood sample that could confirm the country’s second case of foot-and-mouth.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture will send samples from sheep showing symptoms of foot-and-mouth for tests to Pirbright in Surrey this evening.