Denmark builds barrier on German border to keep out infected wild boars

Officials fear spread of African swine flu, which poses threat to Denmark's lucrative pork industry

Construction on the fence began today (Getty)

Denmark has started work on a 44-mile fence along the southern border with Germany in an attempt to prevent the spread of African swine fever.

Authorities hope the barrier will prevent wild boars from spreading the disease, which poses a threat to Denmark's lucrative pork industry.

The country's government has warned that Denmark's pork exports to non-European countries, worth £1.2bn annually, could be affected by the disease.

"An outbreak of African swine fever in Denmark would immediately halt all exports to countries outside the EU," Esben Lunde Larsen, the country's former environment minister, told The Copenhagen Post last year.

"A fence will help prevent infected boars from moving across the border and make it easier for hunters to exterminate the boar population in Denmark.”

The 1.5-metre tall steel fence was approved by legislators in June.

Denmark is the only EU country where pigs outnumber people, with 215 pigs to every 100 residents.

Additional reporting by agencies