Bluetongue confirmed at Sussex farm

An outbreak of the deadly bluetongue virus has been confirmed at a farm in Sussex.

Tests by Defra showed a ram was suffering from the deadly disease, the first new outbreak in the country this summer.

The ram was imported on August 19 from central France. Strain eight of the bluetongue virus was detected in routine Defra checks on livestock at the farm near Lewes.

The virus has devastated farms across Europe, killing more than 1.8 million animals in a decade.

Veterinary experts have said it has the potential to cause more damage to the farming industry in Britain than the foot and mouth epidemic.

An NFU spokesman said: "It is possible the Lewes farmer didn't see any symptoms in the ram but it still leaves the question of why it wasn't tested in France before it was sold.

"The majority of farmers in the Lewes area will have vaccination against strain eight of bluetongue but anyone that hasn't must do so immediately. This is a very big wake up call."