Turkey cull as bird flu found at second Norfolk farm

The disease can spread to poultry when wild birds migrate from mainland Europe during winter, Defra said

Turkeys are to be slaughtered after a bird flu outbreak at a second Norfolk farm, within 24 hours of a first case.

Birds at a farm near King's Lynn were found to have the H5N8 strain of avian flu, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

A temporary 3km (1.9 mile) exclusion zone has been set up around the farm, which is about 40 miles away from an outbreak found near Attleborough.

The risk to human health is very low, according to Public Health England.

Defra said the infected birds will be culled to limit the spread of the disease and has also set up a 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone around the farm near King's Lynn, as first reported by the Eastern Daily Press.

The news follows a government announcement that all hens, turkeys and other captive birds in Britain are to be kept indoors from 14 December to prevent the spread of bird flu.

In a joint statement, the chief vets for England, Scotland and Wales said "swift action" was needed.

The disease can spread to poultry and other captive species when wild birds migrate from mainland Europe during winter, Defra added.