A GWENT farm will know tomorrow whether or not it has become the latest victim of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

But the farmer, some of whose stock were slaughtered, says initial tests have proved negative.

So far there are 2,027 confirmed cases of foot-and- mouth in Britain. The last confirmed case was on August 9, when George Sevenoaks' farm, Park Lodge Farm, in Llwyndu, near Abergavenny, was infected.

Lambs from Bentre Farm, Llangovan, near Monmouth, were suspected of having symptoms of the disease when they were taken to a Department of Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)-appointed collection centre at Ross-on-Wye livestock market on Tuesday.

A furniture sale due to take place at the same market yesterday had to be cancelled because of the suspected outbreak, even though viewing had taken place on Tuesday.

The consignment was taken there by the Meadow Valley company, and their procurements officer, Geoff Turbutt, revealed: "About 170 lambs from six different farms including Bentre were transported to the collecting-point.

"A vet spotted three suspect sheep from the 38 taken from Bentre Farm. "All 170 sheep were slaughtered at the market and the three suspects were given a blood test beforehand."

Farmer Norman Dummett, who has run the 21-acre Bentre Farm with his niece, Sheila Phillips, for more than three years, was relieved when blood tests carried out on his three suspected sheep, and the 160 left on his farm, came back negative.

He was relieved, and said: "It's great news and I feel a bit relieved." A second blood test will be carried out at the farm today and the results are expected on Friday.