I know that many plotholders buy their chickens from Chelford Market. I have brought birds from there many times so I feel the following might be useful.

Four people have tested positive for the disease after the Bird-flu virus was found on a farm in North Wales, and five other people are being treated as having had the disease.

Thirty chickens on the smallholding have now been slaughtered after 15 birds died. They were 22-week-old Rhode Island Red chickens bought by the farm two weeks ago.

Dr Christianne Glossop, chief veterinary officer for Wales, said they had all come from Chelford Market, which she said was “one line of inquiry” being followed.

Both outbreaks are believed to be of the mild H7N2 strain and not the potentially lethal H5N1 strain which has killed 185 people in Asia.

The owners of both smallholdings bought poultry from Chelford on May 7.

Were you at Chelford on May 7?

As part of the tracing exercise, and epidemiological investigation, Defra would like to hear from anyone, who has not already been contacted by Animal Health officials, who has:

Purchased from or supplied to Chelford Market in Cheshire on Monday 7 May 2007 or
Any poultry keeper who visited Chelford Market on this date whose birds have subsequently become ill.
These people should contact their local Animal Health Office - see www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/about-us/contact-us/animal-health-offices.htm - or phone the Defra helpline 08459 33 55 77 (open between 9am - 5pm 7 days a week).