Foot-and-mouth cattle 'infected at time of all-clear'

Tests on animals slaughtered in the two most recent cases of foot and mouth indicate they were infected at the time the UK was declared clear of the disease by officials, it was revealed today.

Chief vet Debby Reynolds said cattle on the fifth infected premises – Klondyke Farm, near Egham, Surrey – had foot and mouth lesions that were more than 10 days old after the animals were slaughtered on Monday.