All gatherings of poultry will be banned across the whole of England to stem the spread of bird flu, the government has announced.
The ban, which will roll out from Monday (10 February), will include any bird fairs, markets, shows, sales, exhibitions.
Defra's decision has been made to limit the spread of avian influenza, against the backdrop of 28 recorded cases in kept poultry so far this season.
Just yesterday (8 February), the disease was confirmed in commercial poultry at a farm near Market Weighton, East Yorkshire.
The ban on gatherings applies to ducks and geese, as well as turkeys, chicken and game birds.
Gatherings of other captive birds, including pigeons and captive birds of prey, will continue to be permitted but must be registered in advance.
The government said the ban on poultry gatherings would be 'kept under regular review as the situation develops'.
UK chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss said it was an important step towards combatting the spread of avian influenza in England.
She said: "As the risk to poultry from avian influenza remains high, it is important that government and bird keepers can work closely together to prevent further cases of the disease.
“All poultry are at risk from the spread of infectious diseases and I urge bird keepers to be vigilant for signs of infection in their birds.”
It comes as national avian influenza prevention zones (AIPZs) are currently in place in England, Scotland and Wales following an uptick in bird flu.
A mandatory housing for poultry remains in force in East Yorkshire, Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, meaning farmers and keepers must house all birds indoors.
The disease was recently confirmed in 1.6 million hens on a commercial poultry farm near Wem, Shropshire. All birds were culled.
