DEFRA has been urged to help sheep producers in the south east and East Anglia who are struggling to cope with foot and mouth and bluetongue movement restrictions.

The call for help was made by the National Sheep Association which said DEFRA should work with the industry to find practical and tangible ways of helping sheep producers.

Some counties in the areas are currently classified as being in the high risk foot and mouth zone and are caught up in the 150km wide protection zone for bluetongue.

With a trickle of FMD cases continuing to come to light in the south east and with the future spread of bluetongue completely unknown, sheep keepers could be faced with deeply damaging restrictions for many months to come.

NSA chief executive Peter Morris said: “The hearts of all sheep farmers go out to the people who are caught up in the misery of either of these two awful disease situations; but that is not enough.”