Bird flu outbreak hits turkey farm

FEARS that bird flu could return across Britain have been raised after turkeys at a Lincolnshire farm tested positive for a strain of the disease that has spread across Europe.

The Government confirmed that attempts are being made to contain the infection at a poultry farm near Louth.

However, reports suggest that farmers elsewhere are flouting a 30-day quarantine imposed to prevent farmed birds exposing themselves to the disease, with trading standards unable to fully investigate due to budget cuts.

BIRD flu is back in Britain after the Government confirmed a number of turkeys at a farm in Lincolnshire tested positive for a strain of the disease which has been circulating in Europe.

Efforts are being made to contain the infection at the poultry farm near Louth, but fears are growing that cases could emerge elsewhere after the Gov- ernment’s hotlines received hundreds of calls from people claiming farmers were flouting a 30-day quarantine.

The quarantine was enforced last week to stop farmed birds mixing with wild birds, minimising their risk of contracting the disease.

It has emerged that even when cases of bird keepers breaking the rules are reported, trading standards does not have the resources to investigate. One farmer reporting cases of birds roam- ing free in Derbyshire claims he was told that they would not investigate.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs last night said the birds infected with the H5N8 strain were housed, not free range. Of the 5,000 birds at the farm, a “significant number” have died from the bird flu and the others have been killed.

The Defra website said: “We are taking immediate and robust action and an investigation is under way to under- stand the origin of the disease and confirm that there are no further cases.”

A spokesman for Public Health England said the risk to people is low as there had never been a recorded case of H5N8, which has been circulating in countries including Poland and France, in humans. “We will offer health advice to those people who may have been exposed on the farm as a precaution,” they added. It comes after the Government’s chief vet urged bird keepers to keep birds inside following a number of disclosures to The Daily Telegraph suggesting the rule was being broken.

Prof Nigel Gibbens, Defra’s chief veterinary officer, said: “It is firmly in the interests of all keepers of birds in England to do all they can to keep them separate from wild birds and I strongly encourage everyone to keep their birds inside wherever possible.”

The outbreak is not expected to have any effect on Christmas supplies.