Foot-and-mouth: Army to help clear carcasses
The British Army are to be deployed in Devon, England to help clear the bodies of animals culled to combat the spread of foot-and-mouth.
Fifty two-man teams will start work at sites across the county, backed up by a 30-strong planning team based in Exeter.
The objective is to help clear a backlog of slaughtered animals. There are now 348 cases of foot-and-mouth across the UK.
The men will be drawn from the Preston-based Prince of Wales's Own Regiment, and from The 3rd Regiment Royal Military Police, based in Wiltshire.
The Ministry of Defence said the Army personnel, including experts in logistics and a range of other areas, would supervise and offer advice to civilian contractors who are culling animals and removing carcasses for destruction.
With similar backlogs building up in Cumbria, it is likely that personnel from the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment will also be deployed there, as early as tomorrow (Tuesday).
MAFF says there were 23 new foot-and-mouth cases confirmed on Monday, bringing the total in Britain to 348.
The latest 13 are at Grange Farm, Oughterby, Carlisle affecting cattle and sheep; a business at Roberthill, Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway (cattle and sheep); Bonshawside Farm, Kirtlebridge, Lockerbie (cattle and sheep).
Also at Rob Gill Farm, Lockerbie (sheep); Blackhall Wood Farm, Durdar, Carlisle (cattle and sheep); a business at Linstock Castle, Linstock, Carlisle (cattle); a business at Burnfoot, Longtown, Carlisle (cattle and sheep).
Also at Bicknor Court Farm, English Bicknor, Coleford, Glos (cattle and sheep); Birks Farm, Little Salkeld, Langwathby, Penrith, Cumbria (cattle and sheep); Rockley Farm, Montgomery, Powys, (cattle and sheep).
And at Low House Farm, Middlestone Moor, Spennymoor, County Durham (cattle); Aikbank Farm, Aikbank, Wigton, Cumbria (cattle and sheep); Old Sandsfield Farm, Burgh-by-Sands, Carlisle (cattle and sheep).
