First day in Britain with no new foot-and-mouth cases

No new cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed during the day in mainland Britain for the first time since the outbreak began.

The British Ministry of Agriculture said no new cases were confirmed in England, Scotland and Wales.

The current total of confirmed cases is 1,603 in Britain with four confirmed cases in Northern Ireland.

The Ministry says the news is encouraging.

The disease has wreaked havoc across the countryside and crippled the tourist industry since it broke out in February.