WITH only three new cases reported nationally overnight - and just one on Tuesday - the national situation continued its marked improvement. Of the overnight cases, one was near Whitby and the other two in Cumbria.

This is being described as a "rump" situation by government vets, who are calling on farmers to be extra vigilant in their "bio-protection" routines so that the disease can be finally stamped out during a period - in the North at least - of warm weather.

The disease favours cold, wet conditions and vets fear that, unless it is conquered now, it could extend into the autumn and flare up once again.

This is a view shared by the NFU whose President, the Yorkshire farmer Ben Gill, who added his weight to the government appeal. "It will only be eradicated by maintaining the strictest disease control precautions to the very end," he said.

• Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Dales National Park threw a lifeline to caravan park owners whose businesses have been decimated by the crisis.

Most Dales parks have to close in autumn - usually, November 1 - but the park is waiving these restrictions this year to allow them to stay open until the New Year, allowing site owners to benefit from the Christmas period.

Peter Watson, the park's head of planning, commented: "Many of the area's caravan and campsites are limited by seasonal restrictions. The decision by the planning committee represents a blanket lifting of these restrictions, which will allow operators to extend their season to the end of the year if they wish."