FREE-RANGE egg producers are under stress as the threat of bird flu hangs over poultry farmers.

They may be forced to house their birds to prevent the disease spreading should it come across from the Continent to the UK.

Former Worcestershire NFU county chairman Richard Jordan, who has 9,000 laying hens at Inkberrow, said: "I am very worried about the whole situation but it is a case of keeping everything in proportion. I really hope and pray it doesn't really come to anything, but it brings enormous stress because you don't know when or if anything is going to happen."

Eggs from Mr Jordan's Cotswold Legbar and Burford Brown hens are mainly sold locally which he said was an advantage to him and his customers.

The birds, he said, enjoyed being outside but they always went inside at night and would get used to living inside if that proved necessary.

"My main concern is the real risks from imports," he said. "Foot and mouth came in from abroad before it was mismanaged here, but as long as the right decisions are made and the right actions taken at the right time, bird flu should be a controllable problem."

He added: "We are all taking bio-security very seriously, such as disinfectant at all points on the site, double foot baths and spraying vehicle wheels. Vaccination is a possibility but again it is a case of taking advice which at present is not to vaccinate, but circumstances could change."

Meanwhile, the UK remains free of all bird flu and poultry meat and eggs are safe to eat, according to the Food Standards Agency

The NFU has provided poultry farmers with comprehensive advice on all aspects of Avian Influenza and the registration of poultry flocks, which has to be done by next Tuesday, February 28.

"We are encouraging poultry farmers to remain vigilant and as far as possible ensure wild birds don't mix with their flocks," said spokesman Russell Griffin. "The industry has been working with the government for more than three-and-a-half years to ensure that contingency plans are in place to combat an outbreak of disease like AI.

"Poultry farmers are operating at an extremely high level of bio-security, which means they have measures in place to keep wild birds and consequently diseases away from their flocks."

Mr Griffin added: "We are hoping for warmer weather across Europe in the coming weeks as the colder it is the further west carriers will fly and the greater the chance of it spreading to the UK."