Foot and Mouth Precautions

This is tragic.

This was the scene that greeted me this morning as I drove into Myerscough College's campus.

The college is a land-based (agriculture & horticulture) college and what you are seeing is a disinfectant mat of straw laid down over the roadway that all vehicles coming in or going out must drive over. Just about every farm and agricultural college in the country will have similar mats down, costing money daily in disinfectant and straw.

It is one of the precautions against foot and mouth disease. Back in 2001 similar mats were in place for months on end. Everyone should hope and pray for a swift end to this crisis. I hope it can be contained down in Surrey. Farmers suffered enough the last time.

Anyone who thinks of this disease only in terms of animals should read this BBC News article A Slaughterman's Story, written by Gordon Nixon.

I must stress that the mats are a precaution only. Foot and mouth disease at the present time according to Defra is confined to Surrey - a long way from Myerscough, up in Lancashire.