No-fly zone in foot-and-mouth fight
26 February 2001
No-fly zone in foot-and-mouth fight
By FWi staff
A NO-FLY zone has been declared over a Scottish farm in a bid to curtail any possible spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
National Air Traffic Services has announced a temporary two nautical mile restricted area over Banks Farm, in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.
Investigations are continuing there into a possible outbreak of the highly-infectious disease, which can spread through the air.
Initial of foot-and-mouth tests proved negative and final results are expected on Tuesday (27 February).
Meanwhile, pleas for people to act responsibly to curtail the disease have been given fresh urgency with news of three new outbreaks.
Cases were confirmed on Monday (26 February) at an abattoir at Bromham, Wiltshire, and farms in Hatherleigh, Devon, and Westerhope, Northumberland.
Although human cases are very rare, it can be spread by people who come into contact with animals.
The Countryside Alliance has postponed its massive demonstration against plans to ban fox-hunting scheduled for Sunday 18 March.
Rather than risk spreading the disease, the alliance decided to reschedule the march, which was expected to attract upward of 300,000 people.
The 70,000-strong Cyclists Touring Club has advised all members to avoid countryside routes to help curb the spread of the infection.
And the British Gliding Association is strongly recommending that all clubs ban cross-country flights from their sites with immediate effect.
The Camping and Caravanning Club has cancelled all meetings until the end of March, affecting as many as 300 events.
And the British Horse Society is advising all riders to keep off all bridleways and farmland until the danger of horses carrying the disease has passed.
The Six Nations rugby clash between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff due next Saturday (3 March) is among many sporting fixtures threatened.
In Northumberland, at the centre of the outbreak, two schools closed on Monday (26 February) for fear of spreading the disease.
Zoos have closed their doors and three Royal parks in London have been shut to protect deer herds which are susceptible to foot-and-mouth.