Britain is once again free from foot and mouth disease.

From midnight last night, Northumberland, the county suspected of being the source of the outbreak, received government confirmation that the disease had been eradicated and was free to resume domestic trade.

Ben Gill, the president of the National Farmers Union said: "The lifting of the last 'at risk' area will remove a long, dark shadow from the countryside. We all hope that this is truly the beginning of the end of this appalling chapter."