An auction mart has been forced to cancel some of its poultry, fur and feather sales due to bird influenza.

Clitheroe Auction Mart, in Lincoln Way, made the announcement on social media earlier this week and said a fur and feather sale this week and Saturday’s pure-bred poultry sale have to be cancelled.

The cancellations come as avian flu cases have been confirmed in Lancashire and people are being urged not to pick up sick or dead birds.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have now confirmed there is avian influenza A (H5N1) in wild bird populations in Lancashire.

The warning follows several detections of avian influenza in wild birds in Lancashire and other areas across Great Britain.

People who find dead swans, geese or ducks or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

The warning follows several detections of avian influenza in wild birds in both Lancashire and other areas across Great Britain. The Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have now declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Great Britain to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks.

Keepers with more than 500 birds will need to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading Avian influenza circulates naturally in wild birds and when they migrate to the UK from mainland Europe over the winter they can spread the disease to poultry and other captive birds.

Backyard owners with smaller numbers of poultry including chickens, ducks and geese must also take steps to limit the risk of the disease spreading to their animals.  Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health for Lancashire County Council, said: “I want to reassure residents that the risk to public health from avian flu is very low.

“However, it is important that people do not pick up any sick or dead birds to avoid spreading the virus, which can affect humans in rare cases.

“I would also urge bird keepers to be vigilant for any signs of disease and report any suspected cases to their nearest Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA office).”