Bridlington: Sewerby Hall zoo reopens after bird flu restrictions lifted

Sewerby Hall zoo is home to a number of birds including a colony of Humboldt penguins

An East Yorkshire zoo has reopened after it was closed when a nearby case of bird flu led to a protection zone being imposed in the area.

A 1.7-mile (3km) restricted area was placed around the infected premises and all poultry at the farm were culled.

Sewerby Hall, near Bridlington, shut its animal enclosures on 7 September.

The zoo said despite the lifting of the protection zone extra precautions would remain in place, including disinfectant mats at entrances.

Visitors will also not be allowed to walk through the aviary and are being asked to avoid any contact with the animals and birds, and to keep a distance from the front of each enclosure.

There will be additional hand sanitiser dispensers across the site.

The zoo is home to a number of birds, including a colony of Humboldt penguins.

The zoo is located in Sewerby Hall's grounds just outside Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast

General manager Marie Gascoigne said: "We are absolutely delighted that we are able to welcome visitors to the zoo, and the team in the zoo can't wait to see visitors again.

"We do ask all visitors to the zoo to use the hand sanitiser or wash their hands, and to follow the simple, but important, rules in place, to protect the animals and birds."

A nationwide surveillance zone remains in force as cases of avian flu continue to be reported across the UK.

On Thursday, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it had confirmed a case at a commercial poultry near Beverley in East Yorkshire.

Defra said a 1.7-mile (3km) Protection Zone and six-mile (10km) Surveillance Zone were declared around the premises and all poultry on the premises would be killed.