Farm inspections begin in battle to contain bird flu ; Animal health experts were expected to start inspecting poultry farms today after three wild swans were found to have the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Animal health experts were expected to start inspecting poultryfarms today after three wild swans were found to have the deadlyH5N1 strain of bird flu.

Restrictions on the movement of captive birds were in placefollowing the discovery of the dead swans on the Abbotsbury Swannery- an open reserve in Dorset.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is monitoring about 12 staffat the reserve for signs of the disease, though the risk ofinfection is said to be low.

John Houston, general manager at Abbotsbury Tourism Ltd, said thebirds were found by a member of staff at the swannery and Defra wastold as part of standard procedure.

"Our main concern is the welfare of the swans, our staff and thegeneral public," Mr Houston said.

Defra has set up control and monitoring areas around the swanneryto try to contain the outbreak.

Severe movement restrictions apply within the zones, with birdowners only permitted to move their flocks under special licence.

The control area extends about 15 miles (25km) south-east ofAbbotsbury, and includes Weymouth, while the larger monitoring area,of about 20 miles, takes in Dorchester.

Within the areas, poultry auctions and pigeon races are banned,and owners of poultry and other captive birds must house theirflocks where possible.

All commercial poultry premises in the area are to be inspected.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We will take every precautionand we will be absolutely vigilant in everything we can do."

Dr Robert Paul Yeo, from Durham University's Wolfson ResearchInstitute, said: "The source of the bird flu in this case could bemigratory birds over-wintering in the UK."

With the virus increasingly found across Europe, its latestappearance in the UK was "not unexpected" he said.