Christmas turkey fears grow after a Northumberland farmer finds 'a carpet of dead birds' and 32,000 hens are culled

Catherine Armstrong says her 'worst fears' were realised when bird flu tore through her free-range egg farm near Belford. Deaths rose from dozens to more than 1,000 within days, and around 2,000 birds died in total. Her hens normally laid about 28,500 eggs a day for UK supermarkets. It is the first outbreak of the season in England, and experts say more cases are 'very likely'.

Defra has thrown a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the farm.

The surveillance zone takes in the Farne Islands, famous for their marine bird life.

Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson warns an outbreak at a turkey farm would leave it 'ruined for the year'.