Children from Coventry schools have been barred from an education centre during the foot and mouth crisis, and animals at the city’s RSPCA home have been isolated.

Youngsters from Ernesford Grange Primary School are returning from the Plas Dol-y-Moch Outdoor Education Centre in Wales.

Until now they have been forced to stay in the grounds of the centre in Snowdonia for fear of spreading the disease.

The centre will close tomorrow and other trips by city children have been temporarily cancelled. Those who were booked to go will receive refunds.

Snowdonia National Park has requested that:

"In order to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease, walkers are requested to keep away from farm and grazing land - including public rights of way through farmland".

The Plas Dol-y-Moch estate includes grazing land, and is surrounded by farmland, and it is impossible for the centre to continue its nature and outdoor lessons without the risk of spreading disease.

Coventry’s RSPCA home has been ordered to put animals in isolation to prevent the risk of foot and mouth disease spreading, and an education centre used by city children is closing during the crisis.

Animals at risk from disease include sheep, goat, hedgehogs, deer , rats and mice, and those at the Coventry centre in Browns Hill Lane will be kept away from other creatures.

No animals on the affected list will be rehomed until the all-clear is given.

Staff have been banned from going to farms unless it is absolutely essential, and anyone who does go will be forced to follow strict disinfection procedures.

Regional Superintendant Tom Austin said:

“As an organisation which handles thousands of animals every day, the consequences of this outbreak are grave indeed.

“We are liaising closely with MAFF to prevent any unwitting spread of the disease, and to safeguard the animals in our care."