Countryside braced for foot and mouth

Britain's countryside was poised to go into shutdown mode tonight after foot and mouth disease was confirmed in livestock at a farm in Surrey.

Anglers were barred from crossing farmland in many areas of the country at the height of the last outbreak of the disease, in 2001.

Sixty animals have been destroyed at the farm near Guildford where the disease was discovered two days ago.

A ban has been imposed on all livestock movements and restrictions on access to areas of the countryside near farm stock are almost certain to follow.

Many rural footpaths and rights of way were closed during the last outbreak.

More on the latest here.