The burial of carcasses in a Sussex landfill site in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease has been suspended.

Biffa Waste Services, the company which owns the site at Brookhurst Wood, Warnham, near Horsham, has said it will not accept any further carcasses until it is satisfied the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Maff) and any other relevant Government bodies have provided sufficient information to the communities in the area about the safety of the burial process.

The site has been identified by Maff and the Environment Agency as suitable for the safe disposal of animals slaughtered as a precaution against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

However, despite assurances from Maff that the carcasses were only those of animals culled as a precaution against the highly-contagious disease and not those infected with the disease, there have been increasing protests at the fact the carcasses were being brought from other areas into Sussex.

So far 2,628 sheep carcasses in 12 lorryloads have been buried at the site.

Biffa landfill director Robin Tweedale said: "We fully understand the concerns of our neighbours and feel they must be in full possession of the facts. Until such time that we are happy this information has been provided, we really cannot accept any more animals."

A Maff spokesman said the carcasses were free of foot-and-mouth and were disinfected before they arrived. The trucks were also disinfected but MPs, residents, West Sussex County Council and Horsham District Council have objected to sites in Sussex being used to bury the carcasses.

A second landfill site at Small Dole has also been identified by Maff as a burial site but as yet no animals have been accepted.