A SECOND outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease has hit the borough fuelling fears that an epidemic could sweep the county.

The second case has been identified at New Farm in Baddiley Hall Lane, Baddiley, outside Nantwich, just yards from the original case at Dairy House Farm in Baddiley Hall Lane.

After the slaughter of almost 3,000 animals over the weekend at Dairy House Farm, MAFF officials confirmed that around 145 cattle are now to be killed at the second site.

The news has been compounded after animals at nine farms connected with the Dairy House Farm were slaughtered as a precaution.

Seven of these farms were in what is thought to be the South Cheshire area and two are in Shropshire.

This week has also seen increasing concern being raised over the safety of trucks carrying foot and mouth disease-ridden carcasses through Cheshire.

MPs, council officers and campaigners alike continue to voice concerns as they hear more and more reports of trucks with open air vents and loose tarpaulins travelling through the county.

Crewe and Nantwich campaigner Barrie Durkin, visited Granox, the Widnes rendering plant, over two days last week to witness the trucks coming in and out of the site.

"Having received numerous phone calls from concerned farmers in South Cheshire I visited the plant in Widnes," explained Mr Durkin.

"Having viewed first hand the transportation of animal carcasses it was clear that the vehicles were not sealed vehicles at all, at the least, they were bulk articulated trailers covered with a tarpaulin fly sheet," he continued.

"And on two occasions there was no covering at all," he added.

Mr Durkin filmed several of the trucks leaving and entering the plant and added: "This clearly flies in the face of the statement made by Agricultural Minister, Nick Brown, in Parliament."

County Cllr David Lloyd-Griffiths, was one of the first to raise the issues with Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Cllr confirmed that MAFF had now licensed a rendering plant in Devon, which should hopefully ease Cheshire's burden somewhat.

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council is also very concerned about the safety of the lorries coming through the county.

Head of Environmental Services, Anthony Bryant, said: "We have the same concerns, we feel that the trucks that are being used are fine for BSE cattle when making it leak proof is all important.

"But this disease is airborne, so we need a different type of protection. We do not feel they have the vehicles that meet the capabilities.

"They are better off moving them to a rendering plant nearer to the locations," he added.

Eddisbury MP, Stephen O'Brien, spoke in the House of Commons last Thursday, March 15, echoing these points.

He said: "There are many rumours and reports of the vented lorries and the tarpaulins flying off the so-called sealed wagons that are travelling to the Widnes rendering plant along the main arterial routes in my constituency.

"So many farms are obviously within the airborne spread risk areas," he added.

"So could he (Nick Brown MP) now urge the police to man those routes to ensure that the risk is stopped, my constituents would be given more reassurance."

In a statement regarding procedure MAFF said: "Only vehicles which meet the specification for hydraulically operated rear door clamps effecting a watertight seal and have passed a leak test are used."

"Lorries are not filled to maximum capacity to avoid carcases pushing up on the tarpaulin which is stretched and fitted tight over the lorry top."

"There is a second internal layer of polythene over the carcasses weighted by straw or sawdust soaked in disinfectant."

"We are not comparing risk with no risk, the risk in moving carcasses for destruction must be balanced against the risk inherent in failing to slaughter animals quickly."

Mr Bryant said that the council was encountering difficulties in getting information from MAFF and often the press picked up on details before them.

"We are having difficulty in communications, the plan is MAFF to the county council and then to us, but there is an awful backlog between MAFF and everybody else," he added.

The council has offered the use of its expert environment officers to MAFF to try and help overcome the potential crisis in the borough and county.

Chief Executive Alan Wenham said in a statement: "MAFF may have difficulties in coping with all that is needed of them in the current crisis, this is quite understandable."

The national count for foot and mouth infected farms stood at 367 as of Tuesday afternoon with 11 cases recorded in Staffordshire and 7 in Lancashire.

Cumbria continues to be the worst affected county with 113 cases confirmed, Devon has 47 and Dumfries 54.

BY PETE HENSHAW