AN EVACUATION of Okehampton residents was prevented when officers from West Devon Borough Council raised concerns about a site for burning carcasses on the outskirts of the town.
Since last week after a change in Government guidelines councils such as West Devon have been in the front line of determining sites of pyres to dispose of foot and mouth carcasses.
The environmental health department of West Devon Borough Council raised concerns about a site at Pudson Farm after it was sent details of pyre sites in the borough by MAFF last Thursday.
Council spokeswoman Alison Stoneham said because of the close proximity to Okehampton, it would have meant the people of the town having to be evacuated.
'We consulted with Devon County Council and the army who agreed with our concerns so we stopped the burn and the 300 animals were taken away for rendering and the body fluids left behind were burnt off, she said.
Mrs Stoneham said the Pudson Farm case was a very good litmus test of the management of pyre sites where everyone had acted 'very quickly and very responsibly'.