Foot-and-mouth: Will Brexit leave us on the brink of another epidemic?

In 2001, the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease brought the country to a standstill. As we look back at the horror of those events, Josh Gabbatiss wonders whether lax controls and less money once we leave the EU could pose a threat to British farming

Around 600 sheep burn on a pyre in northern France (AP)

When the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak struck, it changed the landscape of British farming forever. Across the nation, people saw images on their TV screens of mass graves and enormous bonfires full of scorched animal carcasses. By the end, 6 million animals had been slaughtered, and the outbreak had cost the nation more than £8bn.

In the aftermath, authorities immediately leapt into action to ensure the virus would not reach British shores again. A ban on feeding animals kitchen scraps and catering waste was brought in, and the government intensified efforts to monitor disease outbreaks around the world.

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