Tests have been carried out by the department for environment, food and Rural Affair over new fears of foot and mouth disease found in East Sussex. A temporary control zone has been put in place in Rye covering an area of 1.8-miles (3 km).
Foot and mouth is a highly contagious disease which can infect most farm animals however humans are rarely affected. The symptoms of FMD can range from inflammation of the heart muscle to death, mostly among newborns.
Animal keepers have been urged to check their animals twice a day and to report any suspicions as said by a Defra spokesman. They also confirmed it has been identified at eight farms in Surrey since august 3. The disease risk area has been confirmed by Defra to cover Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex.
England's farming community has also been suffering from Bluetongue which has spread across England over the past year. Due to these diseases spreading across the UK, farmers income and export has been slowly declining. In addition many small farms have had to close down due to many of their cattle being culled.