At 5.30am yesterday, a grim-faced auctioneer stood at the entrance of one of the country’s biggest livestock market in Taunton, Somerset, to turn away the early arrivals.

Farmers and hauliers who had not heard the news realised the worst when, instead of the usual bustling preparations, they saw the empty pens, padlocked gates and silent auction rings. Foot and mouth, the scourge of British farming, was back.

“It’s our worst nightmare,” said Charles Clarke, an auctioneer. “We feel the livestock markets had just about got back to where they were before the last outbreak and now this blow.”

Among those who turned up for the market was Mike Brister, a haulier from Shepton Beauchamp who transports animals around the county. “I’m flabbergasted,” he said. “I’ve come back from my holiday early to go to work and now there is no work, so no income.”

The spectre haunting the rural community yesterday was the repeat of the economic devastation that was caused by the 2001 outbreak.

Yesterday, once again, farming in Britain was at a standstill. Across the country livestock movements were halted as the government reacted quickly to try to prevent the spread of the disease. Farmers even had to get a special exemption to move their cows along the road from the pasture to the milking pens.

Although it is hoped that the Surrey outbreak is an isolated one, livestock dealers say the economic impact is already likely to be severe. Livestock auctioneers fear movement restrictions could last for months, even if no further cases are reported.

Mark Cleverdon, a livestock auctioneer in Ashford, Kent, said: “There will still be disastrous consequences for the marketing sector, with movement restrictions likely to be in place up to the autumn and Christmas period.”

One of the first impacts on the public was on agricultural shows across the country. Some had to be cancelled and at others bemused visitors walked among rows of empty pens.

The Emley show in West Yorkshire and the Cockermouth show in Cumbria were among the events called off. Darrie Goodfellow, chaiman of the Cockermouth show, said: “We have had foot and mouth disease before and we do not want to do anything wrong for the farmers.”

Other show organisers carried on but without livestock. Cranleigh show, in the same county as the outbreak, was expected to go ahead today.

John Goodman, 46, an organic beef farmer in charge of the show’s biosecurity, said: “We’re horrified that foot and mouth has come back, but we are hoping this outbreak is a one-off.”

Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire was also closed yesterday because of concerns of risk to its wildlife.

Ramblers hoping to take advantage of the sunshine found some footpaths around the North Downs closed. Defra and farmers are anxious to keep such closures to a minimum because widespread footpath closures in 2001 caused havoc for tourism.

“The countryside is open for business and we won’t see it shut down,” said Kevin Pearce, head of food and farming at the National Farmers’ Union. “The immediate impact is on farmers because livestock in this country is now at a complete standstill.”

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