A zoo park may be forced to close as fears mount over the spread of foot and mouth disease.

Two attractions at Drusillas Zoo Park at Alfriston, near Polegate, have been closed to the public as Government vets start incinerating pigs and cattle from infected herds.

Keepers shut off Farm World and Pet World and have been disinfecting their clothing after visiting the areas to minimise any risk of the disease being bought into the park.

About 50 animals at Drusillas are said to be at risk from infection.

The action was taken last week after a cordon was placed around an abattoir near Brentwood, Essex, and parts of north Kent, where 27 infected pigs were discovered.

The disease and spreads rapidly among pigs, cattle, sheep and goats.

Managers at Drusillas, voted South-East England Tourist Board Visitor Attraction of the Year in 2000, are worried they may be forced to shut down completely if new outbreaks occur near the park.

Curator Sue Woodgate said: "We have a lot of domestic stock on site so we immediately closed down those areas. Foot and mouth is an airborne disease so we are taking every precaution and following strict guidelines.

"Our keepers have been disinfecting the straw and walking through foot baths when they leave the areas which contain the sheep, cows, pigs and goats, and even the llamas.

"If there was an outbreak in Sussex we'd almost certainly have to close until the problem was sorted out. Visitor numbers have just been getting back on track after the floods but now we've been hit by this."

Government warnings to keep away from farms have already affected weekend trade at the park and the walk-through bat aviary was also closed today.

All events where children come into contact with any animals at the zoo park have also been postponed.