The Stereophonics were forced to switch venues

Stephen Jones, executive director of Chepstow Racecourse, said at the time that all races have been called off as a result of professional advice.

He said Ministry of Agriculture officials, and the course's own vets, had urged him to take precautionary measures.

Horses are not affected by foot-and-mouth, but can be carriers of the disease, and the sport has been badly-hit by previous outbreaks.

In 1967, a foot-and-mouth epidemic swept Britain and horse racing was banned for several weeks.

Earlier this year, Welsh rock band The Stereophonics announced that the massive open-air concert due to be held at Chepstow Racecourse would be held at the Millennium Stadium.

Originally billed as "A Day at the Races", the Chepstow concert had been expected to attract a record crowd of 80,000 fans.

But the 21 July event was thrown into doubt by the foot-and-mouth outbreak, when it was discoverd that the racecourse was an infected area.