We have been very unlucky MAFF's Chief Veterinary Officer Howard Rees

"We know exactly where they all are. Most were local purchases. There are some in the Midlands. If those 16 animals were infected there would be danger for all other animals at that market," said MAFF's David Kyle.

The outbreak is believed to be a result of the disease being carried a record 150 miles by wind from France.

"We have been very unlucky. The wind is something we cannot control. It is one of the possible causes we may have to consider, also birds maybe. You can virtually exclude the movement of contaminated meat," said MAFF's Chief Veterinary Officer Howard Rees.

The ban on movement is expected to last for three weeks, to cover the time the disease can be incubated for.

All hunts and races in the area have also been cancelled.

The President of the National Farmers Union, Richard Butler, said: "Every safeguard must be taken against the possibility of this terrible disease spreading."

The last major outbreak of foot-and-mouth was in 1967. The government paid out �27 million in compensation for the 400,000 animals that were destroyed.

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The outbreak centred on the Isle of Wight

In Context

The ban on animal movements to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth was lifted a month later. The move was successful as no new cases were reported outside the sealed off areas in the Isle of Wight and Hampshire. In 2001 the UK was struck by foot-and-mouth again. There were over 2,000 cases reported and an estimated four million animals were slaughtered across the UK. In 2002 the Anderson report was published. It looked at the government's handling of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. One of the recommendations was for animals to be vaccinated against the disease - something farmers have wanted for years.