More than 1,000 sheep have been slaughtered in Sussex during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

There have been no incidents of the disease in the county but Government vets have been culling animals that may have come into contact with infected livestock elsewhere in the country.

The total number of sheep killed is 1,140, mainly from the Horsham area, but no cattle, pigs or goats have been slaughtered.

No livestock from East Sussex farms has been culled but in neighbouring Kent, a total of 12,412 animals have been put down, while the total for Surrey is 1,126.

The statistics were released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which said the West Sussex sheep had been slaughtered as a precaution.

They were deemed dangerous contacts, having been in direct contact with infected animals or exposed to infection.

It is believed the sheep which died had been bought from dealers in the North of England which has been hardest hit by the disease..

At the height of the crisis every rural footpath in Sussex was closed to the public, who faced fines of £5,000 if they were found on prohibited land.

Many golf courses and countryside attractions were also forced to shut, although most have now re-opened.

The majority or rural footpaths are also now open, with the exception of those passing close to livestock.

The Government is confident that the worst of the outbreak is over but sporadic outbreaks continue to threaten to prolong the disease for several months.

Two more cases were recorded yesterday in Cumbria, taking the total number of outbreaks throughout the UK and Northern Ireland to 1,663.