News broke last night of a possible re-emergence of foot and mouth disease during re-stocking of a farm on the North Yorks Moors.

Latest news (7.55am) from Ananova.com is that the first test results have come back negative, but full results won’t be available for a couple of days.

The farm at Hawnby, north of Helmsley was immediately put under a five mile animal movement exclusion zone after two sheep were found with suspected signs of the disease. The farm had been culled in August after an outbreak on a neighbouring farm, and was being re-stocked with livestock from 4 different farms in North Yorkshire.

Defra officials are now checking these farms or any other possible infection site, while waiting for full test results from the Institute of Animal Health laboratory at Pirbright in Surrey.

A positive result would see an immediate restriction zone around the area – which is packed with some cracking bridleways – as well as a loss of Britain’s recently regained export licence.

All we can do is sit here waiting with dread, but we wouldn’t sell the road bike / set of slicks just yet. Obviously more news as soon as we get it.