UK Foot and mouth cases rise to 48

Another five cases of foot and mouth disease have been confirmed in Britain, bringing the total to 48.

The cases were confirmed in Cumbria, Lancashire and Oxfordshire, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

This comes after another case was confirmed in Durham.

Approximately 45,000 animals have now been slaughtered as a result of the disease, including 6,300 animals which may have come into contact with infected animals.

Earlier the Scottish executive confirmed a fresh case of the disease at a farm in Canonbie, Dumfries and Galloway.

Some local authorities are working throughout the weekend to prepare for a flurry of applications from farmers wanting to move their stock to abattoirs under the restricted licensing scheme.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown said: "I would have thought that people would have got their plans all sorted out by Monday and the applications would have been received by then or earlier and we would have got products moving by Tuesday or earlier".

He also said that the Government must ensure that the ban was not lifted before appropriate measures were in place to guarantee that the disease had been controlled and eradicated.

Vets from abroad are travelling to England to help inspect the animals.