The last remaining restrictions on foot and mouth infected area in England - the so called Penrith spur spreading across large areas on Cumbria and into parts of North Yorkshire and Northumberland - were lifted at midnight last night.

Some 1,500 farms are affected and the move follows the lifting of similar restrictions in the Skipton-Settle area earlier this month.

The landmark move follows extensive blood testing of sheep and clinical examination of cattle in the Brough and Kirkby Stephen area of Cumbria.

The announcement gives farmers greater flexibility on restocking and other day to day farming activities. However, those farms that were culled out as infected premises or as dangerous contacts will remain under restrictions until they have completed the cleansing and disinfection process and restocked successfully - or until a period of twelve months has elapsed.

However, the three counties will not be eligible to become classified as FMD Free until at least 90 days after the last case there, which for Cumbria means the end of the year at the earliest. Welcoming the news, DEFRA Minister Lord Whitty said today:

"The lifting of the last remaining infected area in the country is a momentous achievement and reflects a great deal of hard work by teams on the ground. I thank the farmers of Cumbria, and the wider community there, for the patience and co-operation they have demonstrated while the blood testing programme has been ongoing.

"We are not out of the woods yet. A number of counties in northern England have yet to be classified as FMD Free, pending further testing of sheep flocks in the surveillance zones. I would urge everyone to remember that strict biosecurity is as essential now as it has ever been. With the continued co-operation of everyone, we can ensure that this disease is finally eradicated."

Ray Anderson, Cumbria regional operations director, said today: "This is the moment Cumbria has been waiting for all year. The lifting of infected area restrictions is the first step for the farming industry in Cumbria to get back to business as usual."

The National Farmers' Union reacted with delight at the announcement, which president Ben Gill described as a great boost to farmers' morale.

"Farmers will be extremely pleased to see the Penrith Spur disappear from the map and the necessary restrictions that have gone with it", he said.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is to consult other national parks to see if they would be prepared to held fund their own public enquiry into FMD to find methods to ensure that it never breaks out in such a way again.