Chernobyl still blights 40,000 sheep

22 January 1999

Chernobyl still blights 40,000 sheep

ABOUT 40,000 sheep in northern Britain are still deemed unsafe to eat because of fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 13 years ago.

The Scottish Office announced that 7000 animals in parts of Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Stirling had been cleared but 20 farms were still contaminated.

Restrictions also remain on 300 farms in north Wales, 40 in Northern Ireland, and 10 in Cumbria.

It could take another six years before all the farms are cleared. About £2 million has been paid in compensation.