Poultry facing cull as second outbreak of bird flu strikes

THOUSANDS more poultry face being culled after a second wave of bird flu outbreaks in northern England.

- By Chris Riches

Last week cases of avian influenza were found at a commercial poultry site near Penrith, Cumbria, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed. As a result, 10,000 birds faced being killed.

Defra has now revealed that a second commercial poultry farm near the town also had bird flu. And cases were found at a large premises near Bedale, North Yorks, and in captive birds near Burscough, Lancs.

Surveillance

The poultry at the affected sites in Cumbria and North Yorkshire will all be culled. New protection zones have been put in place.