Accidents - Disasters - Fires - Floods - Tragedies
Dec. 12, 1967 - Foot And Mouth Epidemic The first Victim Alone In The Head World Of His Farm: Richard Ellis wakes up at half past six every morning, but, he says, what is there to get up for? The 89 head of cattle, 244 sheep and 67 pigs he kept at Bryn Farm, close to the Welsh border near Oswestry in Shropshire, were the first victims of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. It is just five weeks since that first outbreak. Richard Eilis's stock were killed immediately and buried deep in his 150 acres. So he and his pretty young wife, Megan, stay in bed a little longer and face their empty farm at eight o'clock. It looks as if the enforced holiday is going to be a long one. I can't see them letting us re-stock until the new outbreaks are all over - and then some time after that. Richard Ellis is 37, farmed with his father, then nine years ago started on his own. He had 20 head of cattle then, and in his nine years, built the herd to 89, only to have it destroyed in one day. Photo Shows The farmyard is bare.leaving Richard Eilis without an income and his Welsh sheep dog, Jaff, without any work
