More than 3,000 sheep are due to be destroyed tonight at the Welsh Country Foods abattoir in Gaerwen, Anglesey, where a case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed yesterday. British Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MAFF) officials have taken control of the premises on the Gaerwen industrial estate, just 20 miles from Holyhead. Holyhead is the point of departure in North Wales for boats arriving in Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port.
The abattoir has been sealed off and police have posted a van on 24-hour watch at the exit.
A notice posted at the entrance by the Isle of Anglesey County Council warns the public: "Keep Out: Animals on these premises are under observation".
A second police van is carrying out surveillance of all farms within an eight-kilometre radius of the abattoir. All movement in and out of farms has been closed off. Police fear farmers will attempt to move their livestock to prevent them being slaughtered.
According to Sgt R. Hind, of the North Wales Police, the 3,200 sheep at Gaerwen are due for destruction this evening. However, as of yesterday evening it was unclear whether the carcasses would be incinerated.
It is reported that MAFF officials are trying to trace a number of lambs from the abattoir that have apparently been sent back to the farms from which they came.
Agriculture is the main commercial activity in Anglesey, which is known as "Mon Mam Cymru", meaning the Mother of Wales. This relates to food crises in the past in Wales, during which Anglesey farms provided food for the whole region, effectively feeding Wales. According to Sgt Hind, "90 per cent of Anglesey is one big farm".
Local hotelier Mr Gwyn Williams said about half of Anglesey's residents relied on farming for a living. Holyhead port and the small industrial town of Llangefni provide the only other significant commercial activity.
There has been widespread disappointment among rugby fans here at the cancellation of Saturday's Six Nations championship match between Wales and Ireland at Cardiff.
Gaerwen industrial estate and the abattoir are on the direct route from Holyhead to Cardiff for the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Irish fans.