The Surrey beef farmer whose animals are at the centre of the foot and mouth outbreak was said to be “devastated” yesterday.

Derrick Pride, 78, owner of Woolfords Farm situated just south of Elstead, and his wife Sheila, 75, declined to respond to telephone inquiries but Angus Stovold, who runs five farms nearby said: “A friend who has seen him said he was devastated. He is a really good farmer and all the animals I’ve seen from him have been a very good standard.”

Roy Taylor, who lives on the same road as Pride, said: “I’ve got great sympathy for Derrick Pride and every other farmer. After what farmers went through last time, they deserve some sympathy.”

Pride, a lifelong farmer who has always lived in the area, owns between 60 and 100 head of cattle, described by some neighbours as organic. The cattle are raised at his farm and on nearby “fattening” fields, including the one where the outbreak was detected.

Livestock farmers working close to the outbreak were anxious yesterday that it would spread to their herds and criticised the department for rural affairs (Defra) for lack of information. David Sheppard, who runs the neighbouring Hookley Lane farm, had started his own disinfecting system for vehicles.

“We have tried to phone Defra but we just can’t get through,” he said. “I’ve got a pedigree herd of cattle and I am hoping against hope that it is not going to be infected. My best chance is that we are relatively isolated.”

The Prides, who run their business with their son Roger, also provide a livery stables for local horse-owners. The area is dotted with riding schools, showjumping facilities and pony paddocks. There was concern among local horse-owners yesterday about a lack of information from Defra on moving horses.

As ministers and officials sought to take control of the outbreak yesterday, the spectre of the 2001 foot and mouth epidemic loomed large.

During that crisis more than 6.5m animals were slaughtered, farmers were driven to bankruptcy and tourists spurned Britain. It cost the economy at least £8 billion.

A subsequent inquiry chaired by Professor Iain Anderson criticised the government for being ill-prepared and badly informed.

The mistakes began soon after the outbreak was reported on February 19, 2001. Nick Brown, then agriculture minister, opted against banning animal movements for fear of creating food shortages.

It was three more days before a national ban was imposed, during which tens of thousands of animals were transported around the country. The delay increased the scale of the eventual outbreak by 33%-50%, according to Edinburgh University research.

Anderson also criticised the government for failing to call in the military immediately to enforce bans on animal movements and to slaughter infected livestock, as advised by the inquiry into the previous outbreak, in 1967. It was four weeks before the army was involved.

Then, when the National Farmers’ Union opposed vaccination of livestock, there was no option but wholesale slaughter.

High levels of compensation agreed by the government were later criticised by the National Audit Office. Tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money were wasted.

Brown acts quickly to head off crisis

Gordon Brown had precisely four hours and five minutes’ holiday in Dorset. Then, as the prime minister and his family were sitting down for their evening meal, he took a call from Bruce Mann, the government’s head of civil contingency planning, confirming the outbreak.

He read up on foot and mouth disease until midnight, breaking off to speak to Hilary Benn, the environment secretary, and Ed Miliband, the Cabinet Office minister. He also spoke to the Cobra emergency committee in Whitehall. By 5am he was on the road back to London.

At 9.30am Brown was chairing the next Cobra meeting. With just the trace of a smile on his lips, he thanked everyone for breaking their holidays. According to sources, he is determined to assert his control early and ensure that Whitehall does not repeat its slow and haphazard response to the 2001 outbreak, which led to the slaughter of 7m animals. The mishandling of the last outbreak has become part of Whitehall folklore.

The approach of officials this time is said to be “ruthless” in identifying livestock and enforcing a movement ban. Further culls are not being ruled out. One official said: “We would rather cull first and ask questions later.”

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