Water birds on Norfolk Broads may have died from bird flu

Andrea Baker is concerned about the number of dead and dying birds on the Broads since a bird flu outbreak was confirmed

There have been reports of water birds on the Norfolk Broads who have died following a bird flu outbreak, according to the Broads Authority.

The county became subject to avian flu restrictions on Wednesday.

According to the UK's chief veterinary officer said there are "high levels of disease within wild birds".

A Broads Authority spokesman said people should not handle sick or dead birds to "protect their health and that of the wider public".

He said it had "received a number of reports of suspected avian influenza, including water birds that are deceased or in distress".

"We understand that this may be an upsetting sight," he added.

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone covers Suffolk and nine of the more easterly districts in Essex, as well as Norfolk

The UK's chief veterinary officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss, said: "We are seeing a growing number of bird flu cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across the country driven by high levels of disease within wild birds."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the UK Health Security Agency advised "the risk to public health from the virus is very low".

Animal and Plant Health Agency officials will be collecting and testing some of the birds.

The Broads Authority is asking people finding dead or dying birds to follow Defra safety and reporting guidelines

A boat hire worker, who did not want to be named, said "we've never seen [bird flu] on the Broads" before.

They said they were very concerned about the number of dead and dying birds being discovered on the Broads.

"A colleague found a poorly cygnet on Monday, and took it to a vet who confirmed it was bird flu," they said.

Since then, they said at least eight carcasses and six unwell birds had been found near their base.