Sheep farmers in the Midlands who suffered losses due to the recent poor weather will get additional financial support from the Government.
The Government says up to £250,000 will be made available for farmers across the country. The money will cover those who suffered losses like animal deaths due to starvation or hypothermia after it snowed.
A farmer from Hungarton, north of Leicester, is relieved that the majority of his new born lambs are free from the Schmallenberg virus, which killed 40 per cent of his flock earlier this year.
Charles Sercome, farmer of Waterloo Lodge Farm, told ITV News Central that he would have been forced out of business if his latest flock had been infected.
The Schmallenberg virus is spread when midges bite pregnant ewes and lead to lambs developing severe abnormalities.
"@staffsfire: In excess of 30 sheep have been rescued by firefighters from flooding off the Rugeley bypass, 4 sheep sadly died on scene."
From @CannockChaseDC on Twitter:"The concern is that it's an unknown. It's something very new. It's not just the loss of the lambs. We can be losing the ewes as well."
Peter Clarke, Farmer
The areas in green show counties with confirmed cases of the Schmallenberg infection.
Farmers in Lincolnshire fear it could spread to them.
Farmers in the Midlands are concerned about a livestock virus affecting sheep spreading from the south of England.
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