National News: Equine infectious anaemia detected in a horse

Equine infectious anaemia (EIA) has been detected in a horse in Northumberland following importation from the Netherlands, Defra confirmed today.The premises is currently under restriction and the infected horse will be humanely destroyed in line with existing regulations. The other horses on the premises are currently subject to epidemiological investigation. The horse arrived in a group of six horses originating in the Netherlands and all have been tested for EIA as part of routine post-import testing. The other five horses in the group have all tested negative.Chief Veterinary... Read full story

National News: The Big Tidy Up celebrates its second birthday

England's biggest-ever litter pick marks its anniversary with the news that it has so far collected almost 90,000 bags of rubbish.This month Keep Britain Tidy is celebrating as The Big Tidy Up, launched by the charity in September 2008, marks its second birthday.To date, almost half a million people - from school children, businesses and community groups to members of the Women's Institute and professional footballers - have taken part in The Big Tidy Up, which is designed to help communities come together to clean up their local areas.More than 12,000 Big Tidy Ups... Read full story