A case of a low pathogenic H7N2 bird flu has been found ata poultry farm near St. Helens and all the birds will beslaughtered and a 1 km exclusion zone imposed, the ministrysaid.
The outbreak is unrelated to the H5N1 strain which haskilled 189 people since 2003, mostly in Asia.
The H7N2 strain was found at a farm in Conwy, North Waleslast month.
The two farms are about 70 miles apart.