Bluetongue will be back - warning

Bluetongue disease is likely to return with a vengeance in East Anglia next year, two top livestock farmers have warned after a fact-finding trip to northern France.

"The midge-borne disease has hit farmers far worse this year when it returned in August," said mid-Norfolk farmer Roger Long, who has just returned from a visit to the Lille area close to the Belgian border.

"We must have a vaccine available as soon as possible and certainly by late spring if a serious animal welfare problem is to be averted."

Mr Long, who is a regional member of the National Farmers' Union's livestock board, said bluetongue has come back this year "with a bang" to cause real problems for French livestock producers.

"The ones that were infected last year are getting it far worse this year because the animals build up no immunity to it whatsoever."