BBC Rewind: The 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak

Fifteen years ago foot-and-mouth disease led to the culling of millions of animals and the UK losing billions of pounds

The outbreak was discovered at an Essex abattoir on 19 February 2001 and it quickly spread across the UK plunging the agriculture industry into crisis as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats were all affected.

Many animals were burned in large pyres as a widespread cull of livestock was enforced by the government and the European Commission banned the import of live animals and animal products from the UK.

On 14 January 2002, Britain declared itself free of foot-and-mouth disease.

Video produced by BBC Rewind