UK – The last county in Britain was finally declared foot-and-mouth free at midnight on Tuesday morning.

Northumberland was given foot-and-mouth free status after there were no new outbreaks for three months. The first case of foot-and-mouth, also in Northumberland, was found in February 2001.

The announcement eases restrictions on animal movements. Livestock from Northumberland will now be able to move under local authority licence throughout the country.

However, livestock markets will not be allowed to trade again until next month, and it may be several more months until Britain can trade fully again with the rest of the world.

The Office International Des Epizooties (OIE), the organisation that sets worldwide guidelines on animal diseases, could declare Britain foot-and-mouth free as early as next week. That would allow Britain to export to the rest of the world. Currently, only limited exports are allowed within the EU.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Lord Whitty said that the ruling is “a landmark in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease”. He added: “For all counties in Britain to have achieved FMD free status by mid-January is a credit to vets and officials, to farmers and the wider rural community.” In total, the foot-and-mouth outbreak is estimated to have cost UK farming more than