Local Councillor and MSP respond to Lanark foot and mouth fears

South of Scotland MSP Aileen Campbell today said that she would be keeping in close contact with the Scottish Government to monitor the situation as regards the foot and mouth outbreak in England.

Ms Campbell urged a note of caution with regard to the situation in Lanark where a single sheep is showing signs of ill health and is being "routinely tested".

Ms Campbell said: "Until we know the results I'd make a plea for people not to speculate too wildly. The farming community has suffered enough in recent times and often, the fear of an outbreak is enough to cause real distress amongst farmers.

"The government have acted promptly and I have written to Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead to be kept informed with any updates on the situation in Lanark.

"Let's hope and pray that it's a false alarm and that the industry can get back to normal as quickly as possible."

Cllr George Sutherland added:

"I hope that this situation can be resolved quickly and am pleased by the swift action of the Government. The financial implications for the industry will be very worrying and I urge anyone who has any worries or concerns to call the government foot and mouth helpline on

0845 15 33 66.

"Rural Clydesdale and Scotland relies on a thriving agricultural industry and I will make every effort to support farmers in and around my area to ensure any potential damage is limited."