More British soldiers are arriving in Northumberland to help in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease.
Five two-man army teams are being deployed to join the 10 teams already there to assist officials from the British Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and vets on the ground.
The exclusion zone set up in Northumberland to contain the latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was extended after a confirmed case fell outside the containment boundary.
The large "blue box" exclusion zone stretching from Hexham, Northumberland, to Alston, Cumbria, was extended to the north following the confirmation that Greyside Farm, in Newbrough, near Hexham, which is one mile outside the zone, had livestock which had contracted the virus.
There have been 16 confirmed cases of the disease in the Allendale area of Northumberland in the past few weeks.
Slaughtermen are busy at 72 farms which are either contiguous to outbreaks or are classed as dangerous contacts.
The Newcastle Disease Emergency Control Centre said a total of 2,556 cattle, 15,451 sheep and 22 pigs have so far been culled and disposed of.
A further 1,108 cattle and 6,188 sheep had been culled and are awaiting disposal, and 1,938 cattle and 13,780 sheep are awaiting slaughter.
Defra minister Lord Whitty, visiting the area, warned that the foot-and-mouth nightmare is by no means drawing to a close.
He said: "We are expecting more cases. It is clear that in some cases the disease has been here for two to three weeks. That does indicate there probably has been a significant spread already within the valley."