The UK is running a simulated outbreak of foot and mouth to check the country’s ability to cope with an outbreak. Scottish Government, DEFRA, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Government are all working to run “Exercise Blackthorn”, to assess how a foot and mouth outbreak is handled.

The exercise comes as the EU Foot and Mouth Disease Directive requires all member states to “exercise their contingency plans twice within a five-year period” in order to ensure it can be controlled and eradicated.