SHEEP farmers across the Herald area are waiting with bated breath to see if their flocks have been infected by a deadly virus sweeping across Europe.

With the first phase of lambing mostly completed in January and February, this month will see a second flurry of new arrivals.

But whereas the lambing season usually provides a joyous start to the spring, this year has been filled with dread for many farmers because of the Schmallenberg virus.

Only named in December, Schmallenberg has come out of nowhere to infect more than 1,000 farms across Europe, and around 100 in the south and east of England.

The worst cases in the UK have seen around one in four new lambs born dead or with deformities such as fused limbs and twisted necks. However, in Europe some farmers have seen half their flocks wiped out by the virus.

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.