BACK in 2001 Gwent, like everywhere else in the UK, was in the middle of the Foot and Mouth disease crisis.

Lessons can be learned from the outbreak 20 years ago on how to rebuild after devastating social and economic loss caused by a virus, people who lived through it have said.

On February 19 2001, the highly-contagious virus was detected at an Essex abattoir, and over weeks and months it spread around the country, leading to six million farm animals being culled.

Farmers went into self-isolation to prevent disease spread and children were kept off school - and people were told to keep away from the countryside, effectively shutting it down.

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Funeral pyres of dead cattle burned on farms across the country, a general election was delayed, sporting fixtures were postponed, and the Army had to be brought in to help.

Although stringent measures were brought in for livestock holders, Foot and Mouth disease spread rapidly and the Government was criticised for its slow response.

Those who lived through it drew comparisons with the coronavirus pandemic, but also saw reasons to be hopeful that the country can bounce back - like they did after 2001.

Economist Dr Charles Trotman, of the landowners’ association the CLA, was confident rural businesses - particularly those that survived 2001 - were in a good position to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021.

“There is the principle of pent up demand, British people need a holiday, they will stay in the UK,” he said.

NFU President Minette Batters said the 2001 outbreak was devastating, but British farming had recovered to become a world leader.

She said: “This transformation is testament to the lessons learned from Foot and Mouth and the resilience of British farming.”