LANCASHIRE farmers have been put on alert after an outbreak of 'bird flu' in Yorkshire.

The case of the virus, confirmed at a duck breeding farm in Nafferton, near Driffield, is the H5 version, rather than the H5N1 strain which has caused deaths in humans, and officials said the risk to public health is 'very low'.

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A 10km restriction zone has been put in place and all poultry on the farm is being culled in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, the Environment Department (Defra) said.

Adam Briggs, the National Farmers Union advisor for Lancashire, said: "We understand that there has been an outbreak of bird flu at a Yorkshire duck farm.

“The NFU is working with Defra and Public Health England and understand that the risk to human health from this incident is very low.

“Defra has introduced a restriction zone and there will be a cull of birds on the farm. There are tests ongoing into the type of Avian Influenza this is, with results expected in the next few days. At this stage we know it is not H5N1.

“We will give any further updates when we have more information."

It is the first serious case of bird flu since 2008, when highly pathogenic H7N7 was found in free-range laying hens near Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Officials believe it may be linked to an outbreak in the Netherlands, where about 150,000 hens have been destroyed. The transport of poultry and eggs throughout the Netherlands has been banned after the outbreak in Hekendorp.

Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said the Yorkshire farm, where workers dressed in blue protective overalls and face masks have been seen entering and leaving six low sheds containing ducks, had good bio-security in place.

As a result the risk of spread is 'probably quite low', he said, but warned more cases could follow and because of the 'wild bird risk'. He urged farmers and their vets all over the country to be alert to the possibility of disease.

He added: "When we find this disease we take quick action to remove the birds as a possible source of further infection and we also restrict all the farms with birds in an area around it of 10km to look for possible further spread or possible other infected farms so we can get on top of those early as well.

"In parallel with that we'll be looking for other possible sources of the disease, including any links to the disease that we're seeing in the Netherlands and Germany, and that will include looking at the risk from wild bird spread to our national flock."

Most types of bird flu are harmless to humans but two types - H5N1 and H7N9 - have caused concern. The World Health Organisation recorded 377 deaths from H5N1 in 15 countries by July last year.