Ok - we now have seventy four cases of Foot and Mouth throughout the country. The Government has changed it's mind and is now saying that at the same time in the sixties outbreak ( two weeks after the first reported case) there was 1,000 confirmed cases. So, apparently, we should be thankful.

The head vet in Iceland has given the go ahead to start shooting migrating swans as they may be a source of infection. Shot birds will then be tested to see if the action is justified.

A farmer's union here has called for the Government to scale up the slaughter policy and slaughter all animals that are known to have been at risk of infection ( those that have been in contact with infected animals). This has to be the most terrible thing for farmers to call for, but it has to be the only way forward. When they know where these animals are and are doing nothing to contain them you have to wonder, not only what planet they are living on, but what they are trying to achieve.