The outbreak was discovered on a plot rented by William Cleave, a livestock dealer now at the centre of Ministry of Agriculture investigations. Ministry vets have ordered the slaughter of the thousands of sheep and cattle on the 11 farms he runs in Devon. The two he farms in Cornwall are thought to have escaped the cull. For the farmers in west Devon the reality of this outbreak began to hit home just about the same time as the fear. Farmers are barricading themselves in, afraid of any contact with the wider public.
People are very very worried.
It's such an intensive livestock area. There are no arable farms in this area, every bit is covered with sheep and cattle. Mr Whattler and other farmers are also worried about the psychological impact of the disease, which isolates farmers from their fellow farmers. The Samaritans have been briefed. We have to be very concerned about people's state of mind.