FOOT and mouth is back in Gwent with a new confirmed outbreak at Abercarn. An outbreak at Lower Pant-y-Resk Farm was the only case confirmed in Wales yesterday, taking the total number to 92.

The farm, which has 76 cattle and 116 sheep, becomes the second in Caerphilly county to have an outbreak of the disease. The first was at a farm in Nelson. There were no other confirmed cases of the disease in Wales yesterday, but three suspected cases were reported in Powys.

A spokesman for the National Assembly said this morning that the new case was confirmed late yesterday afternoon.

He could not confirm what would happen to carcasses of slaughtered animals from the farm, but it is likely they will be taken to a rendering plant in Widnes.

MAFF officials were due to be at the farm today, but the spokesman said he was unable to confirm this morning whether other farms in the area were considered at risk from the new case.

The new case comes as Caerphilly council opened a large number of areas previously closed because of the foot-and-mouth crisis in time for the bank holiday weekend. It was unclear this morning whether footpaths just re-opened would be affected by the new outbreak.

Cwmcarn Visitor Centre re-opened at the weekend, but the Forest Drive remained closed until all livestock could be safely removed.

Before the new case was confirmed in Abercarn, the Forestry Commission had announced that Cwmcarn Forest Drive would re-open next Saturday -but they also said woodlands would remain closed within the 3km zone around an outbreak.

The latest foot-and-mouth case of brings the total in Gwent to around 22, including several outbreaks in Newport.

Monmouthshire has been the hardest hit, particularly around the villages of Grosmont, Cross Ash and Pandy.