Thank you all again for your interest and support. As always I am passing on all messages. Although I am not in direct contact with the people who own Phoenix I am told that they are amazed that people in the US have heard about her and even seen her picture.

Cumbria is still the main area of concern - all thirteen of todays new cases were in Cumbria.

The New Forest will allow cattle back in soon, maybe by Monday. This is incredible news for farmers in that area who rely on the forest for their animals. For the past seven weeks these cattle have been in holding yards. Food has run out and they are standing in a foot and a half of muck, some even calfing in these conditions. Many have died and many more have been put down to allieviate their suffering. Farmers here were threatening to break the law and let the cattle out to the forest.

There have been several reports of people having symptoms of Foot and Mouth - all have now been tested and all (six in all, I think) have proved negative.

70% of farmers affected by this outbreak say they will not return to farming. Many are tenant farmers with no home of their own, no business of their own and little or no savings or skills for other ways of life. Those that own their own farms will have to sell to a market that is rather against taking up farming at the moment(can't think why!!!!!) and a large chunk of British farmland is likely to be lost forever.

The news is good - we are getting somewhere - but in the months to come the cost to farming, animal welfare, bloodlines and the basic heart of the countryside will have to be counted, let alone the toll on families and individuals who have lived through the worst times farming has ever seen.

[This message has been edited by carrie (edited April 27, 2001).]