THE Ministry of Agriculture says it is baffled why three Worcestershire farms have become infected with foot-and-mouth disease.

Evelench Farm and Ravenshill Farm, both in Tibberton, near Droitwich, were confirmed as being infected over the weekend.

Cummins Farm, at Hindlip, near Worcester, was confirmed on Monday, April 2.

None of the three has been connected with any other foot-and-mouth farms.

The 322 cattle at Evelench Farm and 19 cattle and 700 sheep at Ravenshill Farm, were expected to all be slaughtered by the end of today. They were set to be destroyed on the farms.

MAFF officials say that, although they have not traced the three cases, it is not unusual.

"The epidemiologists have stated that it's in the classic nature of the disease to have sporadic outbreaks," said a spokesman.

"We don't know what the connection is, but that's part of any investigation into any outbreak.

"With Hindlip we haven't got any idea, because there was no dangerous contact or other farms locally with the disease.

"There's nothing obvious at the moment, which is a big concern."

Foot-and-mouth disease was also confirmed at Little Froome Farm, Avenbury, near Bromyard, Herefordshire, yesterday.

Around 140 sheep have already been slaughtered due to suspicion of the disease.

The number of carcases buried at Throckmorton airfield, near Pershore, is set to rise after MAFF announced 14 more dangerous contact farms.

These are farms where there is a risk of being infected with foot-and-mouth disease.

The livestock will be slaughtered and taken to Throckmorton airfield where they will be buried.

Lieut Bob Williams, of the Green Howards Infantry Regiment, said these new numbers would not make any problems.

"The whole operation is going very smoothly," said Lieut Williams.

"The capacity for animals in the trench has now risen to 150,000.

"We're at the stage where we're burying more animals than are being slaughtered.

"We're well on top of digging the trench and filling it in."