British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair has pledged to take "whatever action is necessary" to end the foot-and-mouth outbreak devastating the British countryside, as the number of cases there rose to 460.
After a visit to Carlisle today, in the heart of the region worst affected by the livestock virus, Mr Blair admitted it would be a "long and difficult process" rebuilding the ravaged farming industry.
It was Mr Blair's first visit to an infected area since the disease broke out just over a month ago, and the number of confirmed outbreaks has now risen to 460.
As the British authorities warned the disease was likely to run for months to come and the first Irish case was confirmed in Co Louth, authorities in the Netherlands began a huge culling operation after three cases there.
British Agriculture Minister Nick Brown was apologetic today. "I regret the fact we have the disease in our country," he said.
But he denied accusations that the outbreak was now out of control, saying it was still spreading because of the density of the infection.
Mr Blair was heckled by a handful of protesters as he arrived for his meetings in Carlisle with representatives of the beleaguered farming and tourism sectors.
He also insisted local council elections scheduled for May 3 should go ahead despite the crisis, and by implication also the general elections he is widely understood to have earmarked for the same day.
Earlier, after meeting Mr Blair and Mr Brown in Downing Street, National Farmers' Union president Mr Ben Gill said the crisis was "tearing my guts out".
He said farmers and people in the countryside would find it "impossible" to take part in an election campaign.
Downing Street said Mr Blair would use the two-day EU summit beginning Friday in Stockholm to appeal for extra vets and push home the message that, despite the crisis in the countryside, "Britain isn't closed."
AFP