Audio slideshow: Foot and Mouth

The UK's first major outbreak of foot-and-mouth for 30 years started sweeping across the country in February 2001 - and when it was over, 11 months later, nearly 6.5 million sheep, cattle and pigs had been slaughtered to try to control the disease.

Burning pyres of animal carcasses could be seen across large areas of the countryside. Here - with the help of BBC Radio archives from the time - you can see how devastating the crisis was for farming communities.

WARNING: This audio slideshow features images of animal slaughter.

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Click 'show captions' for audio information. Images courtesy Press Association and Getty Images.

Music by Moby, Coldplay and courtesy KPM Music. Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 4 March 2011.

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