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Caught in the glare of the media spotlight

Residents of a Leicestershire village have found themselves uncomfortably in the media spotlight as the national press followed up a Leicester Mercury exclusive.

The rural location for press and TV crews was Queniborough.

The reason? Mad cow disease – or the human form of it.

The Mercury revealed a week ago how a cluster of CJD deaths in the area led to a suspicion that it was more than just coincidence.

In the wake of the revelation, GMTV ran the story live from the village main street, while BBC1’s Breakfast News ran the story as its lead, and national papers made it front page news.

Reporter Jeremy Clay wrote in the Mercury: “News crews descended on the village this morning to report the story that the Mercury broke exclusively a week ago.

“Journalists from ITN, the BBC and Sky News, and TV cameramen with their giant satellite transmission dishes made the sleepy community the talking point of the nation.

“The first camera crews rolled into the village before dawn.”

Locals had microphones thrust in front of them and the health authority’s consultant in infectious diseases had been dealing with calls all morning.

However, the residents maintained their dignity, most dismissing the feverish press activity as over-reaction.

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