A NEW legal requirement is set to come into place for people across East Riding who keep captive birds to protect them from bird flu this winter.

From Monday, those who keep chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and captive birds will be asked to house their birds in order to protect them from avian influenza.

While there has not been an outbreak of avian influenza in East Riding since 2014, there has recently been several confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Great Britain, including in North Yorkshire.

Councillor Kerri Harold, of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “It is important that all owners of poultry and captive birds take the necessary steps and have good biosecurity measures in place to protect their birds and are vigilant for signs of the disease."

Outbreaks of avian influenza are more common in winter due to the migration of wild birds. It's a disease that mainly affect birds, although it can also affect other mammals.

The risk to human health is very low and it does not pose a food safety risk but people should not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that they find.