Bird flu: Christmas orders cancelled after bird flu outbreak

A vet confirmed the farm had an outbreak of avian influenza

A family-run poultry farm has had to cull about 20,000 birds after they contracted avian flu.

W.E.Botterill & Son at Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire, said the outbreak was a "massive blow".

The majority of the geese, turkeys, ducks and chickens had been ordered by local people and businesses for Christmas.

The government has announced all poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors from 7 November.

The Botterill family have been running the farm, near Melton Mowbray, for over 70 years.

The family are well-known in the area for leading their geese around the village to a paddock where they graze.

Gerald Botterill, 84, said they first knew something was wrong when birds started dying.

Anyone on the farm is being urged to follow precautions to prevent the virus' spread

They were all culled after a vet confirmed they had avian influenza.

Mr Botterill said: "Most of them were for Christmas.

"We do so many a week to local customers, then the rest would have been for people all around here for their Christmas dinners.

"I imagine it will cost us a lot of money."

Mr Botterill, 84, said he had never known an outbreak like this before

Mr Botterill said his flock was usually free to roam on grass fields and he suspected they caught the virus from visiting wild birds.

Earlier this week the government announced new restrictions to fight avian flu.

It said the UK was dealing with its worst ever bird flu outbreak with over 200 cases confirmed in the last 12 months.

Turkey farmers have warned of a shortage this Christmas and The British Poultry Council said shoppers could be hit by price rises.

Mr Botterill said he had been working in the industry all his life and had never known a situation like it before.

He added the poultry farm would be back up and running as soon as they had government permission to do so.