Foot-and-mouth disease has continued its seemingly relentless spread with a flood of new UK cases confirmed amid fears Europe may be infected.

Twelve new outbreaks of the disease have been confirmed on Saturday - the highest daily total since the outbreak began - bringing the total to 52. Agriculture Minister Nick Brown warned that the UK must learn from mistakes in the crisis of 1967 and not lift general restrictions on animal movements before the disease is beaten. But special licences will allow healthy animals to be moved from disease-free areas to abattoirs from Tuesday. Mr Brown said there would be little risk of these animals spreading the disease during transportation, with stringent checks to ensure no contact with infected animals. Meanwhile, shoppers have been warned to prepare for a rise in meat prices, with many people stocking up and supplies beginning to run low. Farmers will soon get Ј156m from the European Union in compensation for currency movements, after Britain and other EU states agreed to speed up payments. Payments to sheep farmers will start this month, while cattle farmers will have to wait until April or May. But under normal circumstances the funds would not have been released for more than six months.