ASIAN bird flu has claimed its first Kent victim as, for the first time in its almost 60 year history, the Isle of Sheppey Cage Bird Society abandoned its annual show.

Organiser Gwen Obray said: "There have been bans on bird shows so I have had to contact people in Essex and Sussex as well as Kent to say ours has been cancelled."

She had been expecting between 400 and 500 birds ranging from foreign specimens to canaries and budgerigars at the show scheduled to be held at The Borough Hall, Queenborough, at the weekend.

"I’ve been keeping birds for nearly 60 years and I still have parakeets and soft bills, but there is a lot of panic about at the moment," said Mr Obray

"I had to cancel the show even though I’d already paid £400 for the hall. This is the first time since 1947 that we have not staged it."