The visitors understand that we have these problems occasionally

Jeff Hurst, Island foreman

As a precaution, people have been asked to use less drinking water and to flush toilets with sea water.

The need for extra drinking water was exacerbated when a water storage tank ruptured earlier this year.

Island foreman, Jeff Hurst, said: "The problem stems from earlier in the season when one of our holding tanks sprang a leak and we lost 50,000 gallons then."

There was a delay in bringing someone over to repair it due to efforts to keep the island free of foot-and-mouth.

Twenty two people live on Lundy, but there are more than 50 visitors staying there.

"The visitors have been very good," said Mr Hurst.

"They understand that we live on an island and we have these problems occasionally."

The three-mile-long island relies entirely on rainfall for its water.

Mr Hurst is concerned that if Lundy continues to experience low levels of rain it might have permanent water supply problems.

Plant under threat

A delay to fixing the water storage tank is just one knock-on effect of foot-and-mouth.

A report by English Nature into how the outbreak has affected rare wildlife highlights its impact on a rare plant found only on Lundy.

Lundy cabbage is a yellow-flowered brassica which grows up to a metre in height.

The report says livestock movement restrictions have led to overgrazing by sheep and goats.

This has severely reduced the area of the cabbage and its availability for two species of beetles which live on it.