A Norfolk poultry farmer has appealed for bird flu vaccines to be introduced to prevent more "devastating" virus outbreaks.

The UK suffered its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza (AI) during the winter, with more 100 cases, including several in East Anglia.

Suffolk became a particular hotspot, with a total of nine cases prompting the cull of thousands of birds on commercial farms.

Mark Gorton, a founding director of Traditional Norfolk Poultry, based in Shropham, near Attleborough, pointed out that the Covid pandemic has accelerated major advances in vaccine technology.

And he said chicks are already vaccinated - either by injections, sprays or via their drinking water - against other diseases, so "there is no reason why we should not have a vaccine for bird flu".

Animal health experts at Defra said there were "no guarantees" that vaccines would prevent transmission of the virus, so "stamping out disease", along with strict movement controls and biosecurity, is the best way to control outbreaks.

Mr Gorton, who is also a member of the National Farmers' Union's poultry board, said: "Until this year, although bird flu has caused significant disruption, it has always felt like we have had it under control.

"But this year we have clearly not had it under control, and we can see the devastation it has caused to certain businesses. We are talking about millions of chickens being culled.

"Clearly the current strategy is not working and we need to look at alternative ways to deal with this in much the same way as we control other poultry diseases such as fowl pest or infectious bronchitis.

"There are many reasons why AI vaccination is not straightforward, but it is perfectly possible and there are plenty of countries now using it. China, for example, has done so for the past 20 years and there are vaccine trials under way in several European countries including the UK.

"I want to keep these conversations on the agenda, because in a few months' time we will be back back into another flu season and we will be doing it all again."

The government said although vaccines can reduce mortality, some vaccinated birds could potentially still transmit the disease if they were infected without displaying symptoms - increasing the time taken to detect and eradicate the virus.

A Defra spokesperson said: "Stamping out disease is the most effective means of controlling an outbreak together with movement restrictions and high level of biosecurity.

"The vaccination of poultry and most captive birds against avian influenza is not currently permitted – with no guarantees that vaccines would prevent transmission of the disease."