Twelfth bird flu outbreak site confirmed in Lincolnshire

The virus - which can destroy poultry flocks - was first confirmed in Lincolnshire on 11 December

More cases of bird flu have been confirmed in Lincolnshire, taking the total from 10 to 12.

Exclusion zones have been put in place around sites on the East Coast, near Mablethorpe, Alford and around South Elkington near Louth.

It comes as the country faces its largest ever outbreak of the H5N1 virus - with 60 confirmed cases in England since the start of November.

The virus was first confirmed in Lincolnshire on 11 December.

Restrictions are also in place around two sites near Pocklington in East Yorkshire.

Last week, the UK's chief veterinary officer Dr Christine Middlemiss issued a plea urging poultry keepers to play their part in stopping the spread of the disease.

"We are seeing a growing number of bird flu cases both on commercial farms and in backyard birds right across the country, with a high number of cases in Lincolnshire," she said.

The main source of infection is from migratory wild birds, but the disease could also be spread by people's clothes and shoes, she added.