Bird flu: Doncaster Lakeside warning after cases confirmed

Doncaster Lakeside is a recreational area and a shopping complex in the South Yorkshire town

A warning has been issued after dead birds found near a South Yorkshire lake were found to have avian influenza.

The creatures found at Doncaster Lakeside in December tested positive for bird flu, the council said.

It warned people not touch or pick up dead or sick birds and to avoid droppings in the town's parks and lakeside areas.

The news came amid England's largest outbreak of the H5N1 virus, with 68 confirmed cases since November.

The UK Health Security Agency has said bird flu is primarily a infection of birds and the risk to human health is very low.

Doncaster Council said it was working with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to control the spread of the disease to other birds.

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Warning signs have also been placed in public areas and sightings of dead birds can be reported to the council, it added.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone came into force across Great Britain on the 3 November meaning that bird keepers must keep their flock separate from wild birds.