Avian flu outbreak: Thousands of turkeys culled in Lancashire

All poultry and captive birds in England will have to be kept indoors from Monday

Thousands of turkeys have been culled at a farm in Lancashire as part of the government's fight against avian flu.

A total of 4,000 birds were culled at Woods Farm in Little Hoole, South Ribble on Tuesday.

John Woods, who owns the farm, said he was in a state shock, adding "I'm just walking round in a daze".

It comes after the government announced all poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors from Monday.

Mr Woods said: "We noticed we had lost a few birds on Friday morning in one of the buildings so we made a phone call to Department of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) who came out straight away.

"We got the official notification of our outbreak on Saturday night but we knew we had it because of the way the birds were dying.

"It's been a whirlwind ever since."

Farmer Paul White described it as a "worrying time"

Paul White, who owns Paul's Turkeys in Pendle, said he was in a "race against time" ahead of Christmas.

"It is a worrying time. From Monday we will have to keep them indoors so at least they will be safer," he said.

"We have put up more sheds. It is an unexpected cost for us but we have to have strict biosecurity.

"It feels very much like the foot-and-mouth outbreak we had a few years ago. We could have everything wiped out.

"We are doing all we can and just hoping nothing happens."

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Meanwhile, Blackpool Council has imposed a cordon around Stanley Park lake.

John Blackledge, the council's director of community and environmental services, said the decision had been made after 20 swans died on the lake last year.

"Unfortunately we found four cases recently and others with signs of avian flu so we want to be on the front foot this time," he added.