THE Prime Minister is in Yorkshire today as part of his campaign to show that the British countryside is still open for business - but North Yorkshire's footpaths will remain firmly closed.

Mr Blair's whistle-stop tour of the county is part on an international PR campaign to support the tourist industry and he will be holding a press conference with journalists from all parts of the world.

But North Yorkshire council has decided to keep closed all public rights of way like footpaths and bridleways despite behind-the-scenes pressure from Whitehall. Some national parks, including the Peak District, have re-opened paths considered to be "safe," some of them on disused railway lines.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park has welcomed the county council decision. Chief Executive David Butterworth said: "The County Council's decision is the right one at this time. With the majority of the National Park currently an infected area, following six cases of foot and mouth disease in the Hawes area, it is vital the rights of way closures in the National Park remain in place."

The Authority reminded the public of the need to remain vigilant during the current crisis and to avoid farmland and farm animals, to keep to tarmaced roads and enjoy what is on offer at the many attractions and in the towns and villages in the National Park.

"Regardless of the closures there is still plenty to do in the National Park. As of this week all of our National Park Centres are open seven days a week, with staff on hand to tell the public what is still on offer and provide information about the many attractions and events they can visit or take part in throughout the area," said Mr Butterworth.

The park has already organised a series of events like craft shows and guided walks throughout April (see Events)

Other developments include:

• The Country Landowners' Association is calling on government vets to set up an immediate strategy for preserving the blood-lines of rare breeds of farm animals - "a precious part of both the farming and rural tourism industries," according to CLA Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn. As we reported yesterday, experts at York University have been called in to held preserve the genes of the threatened Lake District's Herdwick sheep.

• The Camping and Caravanning Club has reopened some of the sites is closed at the beginning of the crisis. For more details, visit www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

• The Countryside Agency has issued its third annual analysis of the state of the countryside. Although it gives details of areas worst affected by foot and mouth, it takes a much wider view of other rural issues, some good, some bad. For the full story, see Country News.