Six new cases of foot-and-mouth take total to 335

Six more cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed, taking the outbreak total to 335.

Six more cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed in Britain, taking the outbreak total to 335.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has confirmed there are no plans to postpone either the census or the May 3 local elections.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said postal votes were available to anybody who wanted one.

Speaking about the council elections he added: "A large amount of canvassing is done over the phones.

"Providing people take sensible precautions there's no reason why they can't move off the properties and back on to them."

The spokesman said an advertising campaign to persuade tourists the countryside was not closed would cost several millions and be based on adverts in the regional and national press.

He added: "We want to do this as quickly as possible. I don't think it will be tomorrow but it shouldn't be too long after that."

A meeting tomorrow of the rural recovery task force chaired by British Environment Minister Michael Meacher would be "looking at what measures can be put in place to help the rural economy... there is a recognition that the knock-on effects to large parts of the rural economy can be considerable".

Mr Meacher will later face routine environment questions in the Commons, rather than making a special statement to MPs, as Downing Street first indicated this morning.