The pigs were slaughtered at Cheale Meats in Essex which was closed down as part of the investigations into the suspected disease outbreak. All restrictions have now been lifted.

The tests were carried out at AHVLA Weybridge on the samples from the pigs which came from a Scottish unit which had also been placed under restrictions.

This is the second swine fever alert in the past six months and it emphasises the importance of continued vigilance by producers and abattoirs.

BPEX, NPA and PVS welcome the vigilance shown by abattoirs and producers and stress that the industry welcomes the opportunity to investigate all suspicions of notifiable disease.

The last outbreak of Classical Swine Fever in Britain was in 2000. There has never been a case of African Swine Fever in this country.