Bird flu measures extended to prevent spread

Restrictions to control the rise of bird flu have been extended following two new cases.

The outbreaks have appeared in County Durham, prompting an expansion of the rules to cover Darlington.

Owners will have to keep their birds inside and continue to follow strict biosecurity measures, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

The rules are an extension of restrictions which have already been rolled out in Yorkshire, the north-west of England and Northern Ireland.

There were two more cases at two premises near Stanhope on Friday and another outbreak confirmed at Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

All of the birds on the farms will be humanely culled.

Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for stronger communities, Jim Garner, said: "After confirmed cases of avian flu in County Durham there is now a housing order across the whole of the Darlington borough area."

The world's first case of a sheep having bird flu was discovered at a Yorkshire farm at the end of March.

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