Animals

Officials said today ‘don’t try to smuggle them across the border in your luggage’

A new warning has been issued for anyone bringing food into the UK from the EU – even if it was bought at the airport. In an update today the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued an alert for anyone going to Eurpean hotspots like Spain, France, Greece and Italy this half term.

An outbreak of disease on the continent means that a number of foood items are banned – and there is a high chance anyone buying a sandwich, or bringing back produce will infringe the laws. Since last April, those arriving risk having goods seized at UK borders and may face penalties reaching as much as £5,000.

In a new post on X today DEFRA said: “Meat and dairy products from the EU can spread animal diseases. Stay faithful to our biosecurity and don’t try to smuggle them across the border in your luggage.” It’s against the law for travellers entering Great Britain from any EU country to carry items including sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats, or milk. Therefore, picking up a sandwich at a Spanish airport and taking it into the UK could get you into trouble.

Officials have confirmed that the new rules, which came into force last year, continue to apply as the holiday season gets underway with the start of June. The current legislation states that anyone discovered importing banned products such as sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats, or milk into Great Britain will face enforcement measures at customs.

These measures have been put in place following a foot and mouth disease outbreak affecting Europe. In a recent development, those travelling to Greece have been alerted to a newly identified outbreak in the country. This recent information confirms that the prohibition on all food products – including duty free purchases – will continue for an extended period.

Border officers will be on the lookout for illegal food products, with offenders given the option of handing over their items or having them seized and disposed of. Officials warn that “In serious cases, those found with these items run the risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000 in England.”

As confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease (FMD) continue to increase across Europe, the UK Government has introduced bans aimed at halting its spread.

The restrictions, intended to protect domestic animal health, farmers’ livelihoods and UK food security, prohibit the personal importation of meat and dairy products from cows, sheep, goats and pigs originating from the EU, reports Wales Online.

Authorities have confirmed that Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) presents no danger to humans, and there are currently no recorded cases within the UK. Nevertheless, it remains a highly contagious viral illness affecting cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals, including wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas.

Labour MP Ben Goldsborough has questioned whether adequate steps are being taken to inform the public through a parliamentary written question. He asked Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Emma Reynolds: “If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding public awareness campaigns, including advertisements at airports and ports, on (a) foot and mouth disease and (b) African swine fever.”

DEFRA minister Dame Angela Eagle detailed the extensive actions recently taken to publicise the ban: “Biosecurity is a priority for this Government. To protect UK farmers and animals from serious diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever, we used the Christmas period as an opportunity to remind the public about the personal imports ban on travellers from the EU and EEA countries bringing dairy and meat products to GB, that came into force last year.”

She further stated: “This included promoting awareness of the rules to the travelling public and extending our reach through partnership channels across Government and with industry. Our insights survey results indicate that over 90% of respondents are aware that they should not bring back meat and dairy products from these countries.”

Dame Angela added: “Any decisions on funding paid campaigns will be made based on the current threat level, evidence of effectiveness and available resources, ensuring maximum impact in protecting UK biosecurity.”

The outbreak on the continent represents a considerable threat to farming businesses and livestock. FMD can trigger significant economic losses through reduced production in affected animals, as well as restricted access to overseas markets for livestock, meat and dairy products.

Following confirmed outbreaks of FMD in Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria earlier this year, the Government has already prohibited personal imports of cattle, sheep and other ruminants, pig meat and dairy products from those nations.

The new measures apply exclusively to travellers entering Great Britain, and will not be enforced on personal imports arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. Speaking at the launch, Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth. That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain’s food security.”

Restrictions on meat, dairy and animal products for human consumption

You cannot bring in any of the following:

• cheese, milk and dairy products like butter and yoghurt
• pork
• beef
• lamb
• mutton
• goat
• venison
• other products made from these meats, for example sausages

You can bring the following into Great Britain from any country without any restrictions:

• bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
• cakes without fresh cream
• biscuits
• chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
• pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
• packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
• processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
• food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules

Dr Jorge Martin-Almagro, UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for international and trade affairs, issued a stark warning: “Following the detection of foot and mouth disease in EU countries resulting in a rising risk of introduction into Great Britain, we have extended restrictions on the personal imports of food products that pose a risk in FMD transmission.”

He went on to emphasise the Government’s preparedness, adding: “Robust contingency plans are already in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain’s food security. This biosecurity measure combined with all others we have implemented are critical to limit the risk of FMD incursion. I would urge livestock keepers to continue exercising the utmost vigilance for signs of disease, ensure scrupulous biosecurity is maintained and to report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”

Nevertheless, Dr Martin-Almagro points out that certain exceptions to these restrictions do exist, explaining: “A limited set of exemptions from these rules in place. For example, a limited amount of infant milk, medical foods and certain composite products like chocolate, confectionery, bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta continue to be allowed.”

For further details click here.

Her daughter says her life could have been saved if she had taken the minor injury seriously

When Yvonne Ford and her husband Ron jetted off to Morocco in February 2025, they expected to return home with little more than happy holiday memories. Instead, what appeared to be nothing more than a tiny scratch would ultimately cost Yvonne her life.

The couple had been relaxing on sun loungers when a stray puppy appeared. At some point, it scratched 59-year-old Yvonne’s leg, leaving what appeared to be nothing more than a superficial mark. Looking back, Yvonne’s daughter, Robyn Thomson, says her parents never imagined the incident posed any danger.

“They were relaxing on the beach on the sun beds. Mum had put her legs down onto the sand and must have startled the puppy,” she said. “The puppy scratched her leg leaving a very minimal scratch on her leg.”

“It barely broke the skin and looked so insignificant that she simply cleaned it with a wet wipe and carried on enjoying the holiday.”

At the time, the family thought nothing more of it. “It was Mum and Dad enjoying a holiday together, and none of us had any idea that such a tiny scratch could expose someone to rabies. We simply didn’t know,” said Robyn, 33, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire. “That tiny scratch had absolutely changed our lives forever.”

When Yvonne returned home to the UK, Robyn remembers asking whether she wanted to get the scratch checked, but Yvonne declined because it seemed so insignificant. “If someone had told us then that such a tiny scratch could be fatal months later, we would never have believed it,” Robyn said.

For weeks after returning home, Yvonne appeared perfectly healthy and life returned to normal. Then, in early June, she developed a headache and, within days, her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to her being admitted to Barnsley Hospital.

She first developed a headache before eventually beginning to lose the ability to walk and talk. “It was the most devastating thing we’ve ever been through,” Robyn says. “The disease spread through her body so rabidly once the symptoms started. It all started with a headache.”

From there, her condition worsened with terrifying speed. “One minute Mum was independent and full of life, and then she deteriorated so quickly,” Robyn said. “She became confused, frightened and started hallucinating. Eventually she couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk properly, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep.”

Robyn says that watching her mum deteriorate was excruciating. “As her daughter, watching someone you’ve looked up to your entire life become so desperately ill and knowing there was nothing anyone could do was unbearable,” the neonatal nurse said.

As Yvonne’s condition worsened, doctors struggled to determine what was making her so ill. Five days passed before a psychiatrist, who initially suspected Lyme disease, recognised the symptoms and asked about her recent travel history.

“This is what I’ve found so hard, knowing that nobody knew what was causing my mum to be so poorly for the first five days until a doctor within the mental health sector suggested it could be a possibility,” Robyn said. One of the things she remembers the most was the shock of being told that her mum had contracted rabies.

“It was the worst news we could have received because there was no cure, nothing to be done to bring mum back,” she saif. “The damage was already done. Rabies was never something we imagined could affect our family. You associate it with something that happens somewhere else, not to your mum after a holiday. Especially with the scratch being so tiny and minimal.”

Yvonne was then transferred to the infectious disease unit at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital, where she died on 11 June, four months after being scratched by the puppy. Now, Robyn knows that if there had been more awareness around rabies at the time, her mum might still be here.

“Looking back now, that’s one of the hardest things to accept. If we’d understood the risk and known she needed urgent treatment immediately, everything could have been different,” she said. “We would have pushed her to get the treatment and it would have saved her life.”

Robyn is now campaigning for greater awareness of rabies to help prevent other families experiencing the same heartbreak. “I wish there were more awareness, more awareness when booking holidays about the risk of potential exposure in certain high-risk countries,” she said. “I wish someone had told us that there is no such thing as ‘just a scratch’ when it comes to rabies.”

“I wish we’d known that washing the wound thoroughly and getting post-exposure treatment immediately can save your life. That lack of awareness cost us our Mum.”

Speaking about Yvonne, Robyn describes her as “the heart” of their family. “She was funny, warm, caring and incredibly selfless,” she said. “She always put everyone else before herself and absolutely adored her family, especially being a Nannie to her four grandchildren.”

“She had so much life left to live. She and my dad, Ron, had worked hard all their lives and were enjoying making memories together. They loved travelling and experiencing different cultures, and the holiday to Morocco was supposed to be another wonderful adventure together.”

Robyn says her mum was also an animal lover who would never have imagined a puppy could pose such a danger.

“Mum loved animals and would never have imagined that a friendly looking puppy could pose such a danger,” she says. “That’s one of the biggest misconceptions people have. She would never want any harm to come to the dog.”

The scratch wasn’t the result of a vicious attack but a chance encounter that would have devastating consequences. “It was a stray puppy that didn’t seem threatening,” Robyn says. “That’s exactly why people need to understand that you can’t judge the risk by how the animal behaves or how serious the injury looks.”

Robyn is now working with Worldwide Veterinary Service and its Mission Rabies program to ensure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else. “After losing Mum, I felt I had to do something,” she said. “I couldn’t change what had happened to our family, but I could help stop it happening to somebody else’s.”

“Working with Worldwide Veterinary Service and Mission Rabies has shown me the incredible work that’s being done to eliminate rabies by vaccinating dogs and educating communities.”

Robyn also has a message for anyone else who is scratched or bitten by an animal while travelling overseas but thinks it’s “only a minor scratch”.

“Please don’t take the risk,” she says. “Our family thought it was only a tiny scratch too.. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water straight away and seek urgent medical advice immediately, even if the injury seems insignificant. Don’t wait until you get home, and don’t assume you’ll be fine because the animal looked healthy or friendly.

“The vaccines could save your life.”

Rabies is present in more than 150 countries, including popular holiday destinations such as Turkey, Morocco and Thailand. According to Worldwide Veterinary Service, nearly half of Brits (47%) say they would approach or interact with a dog or cat abroad and 61% do not know that rabies can be transmitted if an infected animal licks an open wound or scratch.

As a result, the organisation is launching its Think Rabies Before You Travel campaign, urging holidaymakers to check local rabies risk, avoid contact with unfamiliar animals and seek immediate help after any potential exposure this summer.

The village has been crowned the finest seaside destination by Which? and is a must-visit for anyone seeking a peaceful autumn break in the UK

As the summer crowds begin to thin out, late September offers the perfect chance to explore the UK’s stunning coastline, with quieter beaches, milder temperatures and spectacular coastal paths just waiting to be discovered. Tucked away on the north Devon coast, one spot is a picture-postcard seaside village where the East and West Lyn rivers meet the Bristol Channel.

A charming seaside village tucked between dramatic hillsides and the Bristol Channel has been named Devon’s best seaside destination by Which?, cementing its status as an essential stop for a quintessential West Country getaway. Lynmouth sits beneath its hilltop neighbour, Lynton, with both forming part of the spectacular Exmoor National Park.

Sitting on the edge of Exmoor National Park, it is surrounded by stunning landscapes and is frequently likened to “Little Switzerland”.

At the heart of the village is its harbour, a reminder of Lynmouth’s roots as a small fishing settlement. Its history stretches back centuries, with records dating to at least the 13th century.

One of the area’s most famous attractions is the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, which connects the seaside village with Lynton high above. The historic railway is powered by water and offers visitors a memorable way to travel between the two communities while taking in the surrounding scenery, reports the Express.

Today, Lynmouth offers a winning combination of harbour views, rushing rivers, wooded valleys and dramatic coastline. With Exmoor’s walking trails right on its doorstep, it is an appealing destination for anyone looking to escape the crowds and enjoy a peaceful slice of the Devon coast.

Visitors can follow the River Lyn upstream towards Watersmeet, a magnificent tree-lined gorge managed by the National Trust, complete with riverside walkways and a charming tea garden.

For those looking for a spectacular group getaway, the area is also home to Lynhurst, an impressive and distinguished property just a short walk from the historic village of Lynton.

Tucked within stunning gardens and natural woodland, it features a games room with a slate pool table and dartboard, as well as an outdoor table tennis table to keep guests thoroughly entertained.

For couples in search of a romantic getaway, River View is a second-floor apartment set right on the riverbank in Lynmouth. The property features a furnished balcony overlooking the bay, and on a clear day, guests may even spot the Welsh coastline in the distance.

Inside the apartment, visitors will find a cosy open-plan living and kitchen area, fully kitted out for a hassle-free self-catering break. A king-size master bedroom with an en-suite shower room offers a peaceful retreat in which to unwind after a day exploring the local coastline.

The balcony is a particularly lovely spot to savour a morning coffee or an evening drink, with sweeping views across the river and the picturesque village below. With plenty of cafés and restaurants nearby serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, there’s absolutely no pressure to cook every meal either.

For a change of scenery, Ilfracombe lies fewer than 20 miles away, well known for its diverse dining scene and historic harbour. Visitors can also take in Damien Hirst’s iconic ‘Verity’ statue at the harbour entrance before heading back to the tranquil surroundings of Lynmouth.

Previous guests at River View have been fulsome in their praise online. One visitor wrote: “Lovely apartment. Perfectly situated with everything we needed. A real ‘home from home’. We love Lynmouth and will be back.”

Another noted: “A wonderful location for walkers as several spectacular river and coastal walks from the door. Great for visitors with dogs, close to the promenade for walks and meeting lots of other dogs.”

One particularly detailed review read: “A small but well-equipped and comfortable flat with beautiful views over the river to the sea. Good location to explore the area. Luckily found a temporary parking spot initially on Riverside Road in order to unpack, as the flat entrance is on a pedestrianised street.

“Parking permit was £25 for the week at the nearby Upper Lyndale car park. Tesco delivered groceries without difficulty. Walks locally and some National Trust properties made it a very enjoyable week in a lovely location.”

One guest noted that “the two flights of steep stairs would need to be taken into consideration by anybody perhaps not a 100% fit”, while another savoured the surroundings, remarking: “We had the door open all the time and could listen to the water and the wildlife, which we really enjoyed.”

River View can be booked through Holiday Cottages, with a four-night stay in September starting from £449.