AN APPEAL set up to help parts of the Yorkshire Dales and the Ribble Valley in Lancashire recover from foot and mouth disease has reaped a rich harvest - thanks to the generosity of local churches.

In the past six weeks, churches of all denominations have given their harvest festival collections to the Dales Recovery Fund, adding a further £7,000 to the appeal which has now raised £877,000 towards its £1 million target.

The appeal covers the Church of England archdeaconry of Craven - which spreads from Sedbergh in Cumbria to Denholme, south of Keighley, and west into the Trough of Bowland and the Ribble Valley - yet the harvest festival donations came from Roman Catholics, Methodists, Congregationalists and Baptists as well as Anglicans.

"The inter-denominational support has been absolutely magnificent," commented appeal secretary Peter Marshall OBE

The appeal has so far distributed £175, 350 in 112 grants to individuals, small businesses and voluntary groups and is assessing new claims at the rate of 30 a week.

Grants so far include payments to farmers unable to move stock to market because of FMD restrictions; pubs, cafes and B&Bs; and local business and voluntary centres like the Dentdale Business Forum, Grassington Chamber of Trade and the reading rooms in the hamlet of Rathmel, near Settle.

Applications for grants - or donations of cheques made out to the Dales Recovery Fund - should be addressed to: The Appeal Office, 76 Main Street, Addingham, Ilkley LS29 0PD (phone 01943 831660).