By Ewan Pate, farming editor

THE SPECTRE of the foot-and-mouth epidemic that brought chaos to Britain six years ago returned last night when a fresh outbreak was confirmed.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown cancelled his holiday and joined an emergency Government meeting after being told the disease had been found on a farm near Guildford, Surrey.

The immediate effect is a complete and immediate standstill on all movements of pigs, cattle and sheep across the UK.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that a three-kilometre “protection zone” and a 10-kilometre “surveillance zone” had been imposed around the farm.

A spokesman refused to give its exact location, but a graphic on the DEFRA website showed the centre of the zones to be between Guildford and Aldershot.

It’s the first outbreak of the disease in the EU since the epidemic in Britain in 2001, which cost an estimated £8 billion to control.

It is understood that there are two batches of cattle on the farm, one of 22 and the other of 30 animals.

Two have already been slaughtered and the remainder will be put down this morning.

The source of the infection is unknown, but the affected farm is believed to be only six kilometres from the Pirbright laboratory of the Institute for Animal Health where foot-and-mouth virus is held for research purposes.

The virus is very easily transmitted by wind and highly contagious once it becomes established among farm stock.

Imported meat products are another likely source.

Another foot-and-mouth outbreak will have huge financial implications, even if the actual disease can be contained.

A spokesman for DEFRA said, “Following an investigation of suspected vesicular disease by Animal Health on a holding near Guildford in Surrey, laboratory results have this evening indicated that the foot- and-mouth disease virus is present in samples from cattle on the premises.”

The spokesman said, “On the basis of initial laboratory results, Debby Reynolds, UK chief veterinary officer, has confirmed foot-and-mouth disease.”

In accordance with the legislation, all the cattle on the premises will be culled, he said.

A national movement ban of all ruminants and pigs has been imposed, DEFRA said.

A meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency contingencies committee was held to discuss the outbreak, with Mr Brown taking part by telephone from his holiday in Dorset.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Brown would return from holiday today to chair another Cobra meeting at the Cabinet Office in the morning.

She did not give details of other ministers taking part last night.

“Our top priority is to prevent the spread of this disease in order to protect farmers’ stock,” she said. “The plans are tested and well- established.”

The DEFRA spokesman added, “Nationally no animal movements are allowed except under licence.

“Controls are in place on movement of animal carcasses, animal gatherings, shearing and dipping are restricted, and all farms must increase levels of biosecurity.

“In both the protection and surveillance zones, there will be requirements for increased levels of biosecurity on farms, movement controls, controls on transportation of dung/manure and treatment of animal products to ensure destruction of the FMD virus.”

The farm has been under restrictions since late on Thursday when symptoms were reported to the local Animal Health office.

The European Commission has been informed, DEFRA said.

The developments will reawaken memories of the foot-and-mouth crisis of 2001.

The epidemic saw 2000 cases of the disease in farms throughout the UK. Around seven million sheep and cattle were killed to halt the spread of the disease.

Cumbria was the worst affected area of the country with more than 800 cases. The neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway was also badly hit.

To prevent the spread of the disease, public rights of way across land were closed, causing huge losses in revenue for the tourism industry as well as for agriculture.

Scotland’s rural affairs secretary moved to reassure livestock keepers last night.

Richard Lochhead said, “I would like to reassure all livestock keepers that these are precautionary measures.

“We are in close contact with the UK Government to ensure that Scotland’s interests are being protected.”

Mr Lochhead said, “We are taking all steps to minimise disruption to rural activities but biosecurity is of utmost importance.

“I appreciate that this will be a blow to those involved in the agricultural shows in many parts of Scotland. I have spoken to the organisers of major shows.

“Despite necessary movement restrictions on livestock there are no restrictions on the public and these important events will go ahead.

“I will be travelling to my office in Edinburgh tomorrow morning to continue to work closely with officials and UK colleagues.”

An Executive statement said, “Livestock keepers are reminded of the importance of maintaining good biosecurity and remaining vigilant for signs of disease.

“Any suspicion should be reported to the local Animal Health office.”

Agriculture officials in Northern Ireland moved decisively to close ports to all animal movement from Britain.

Stormont agriculture minister Michelle Gilder-new confirmed that all animal movement had been restricted.

Her officials were also tracing back all movements of animals from Britain to Northern Ireland over the last month to check if any came from the area where the outbreak in cattle occurred.

“The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is acting quickly,” she said.

During the last outbreak of foot and mouth in 2001 there were outbreaks of the disease in Northern Ireland.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects all cloven footed animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer.

The disease is extremely infectious and can rapidly spread between animals.

FMD is debilitating but not normally fatal in adult animals, although it can kill younger livestock.

The virus gets its name because of the way it develops within infected animals.

In cattle, the virus grows inside their stomach and intestines. The disease then travels into the bloodstream and re-emerges in the mouth, causing painful blisters and further blistering on the hooves.