THERE were no new cases of foot and mouth in the Craven area yesterday - but the Settle cluster remains a political hot-spot in the general election campaign.

The BBC Radio's flagship Today programme presented a moving report from Settle in which the former editor of the Dalesman, Bill Mitchell, pointed out that three generations of sheep used to finding their way around the fells had been slaughtered in some areas.

"Those sheep had knowledge of where to go to graze, where to find shelter in bad weather," said Bill, who has spent his life writing about the Dales. "It will be ten years before new flocks will learn that sort of knowledge."

Meanwhile, a national survey of farmers shows that they are far from convinced that the disease is under control, despite Government assurances. Some 55 per cent still feel their livestock is at risk.

And Yorkshire Water has once again closed off reservoirs between Harrogate and Skipton to fishermen and walkers. The reservoirs at Thruscross, Swinsty and Fewston were only re-opened in May.