YORKSHIRE Dales national park officials are today investigating a rash of false "open" signs placed on footpaths in the Ingleborough area of North Craven, perilously close to the seven confirmed outbreaks of foot and mouth around Settle.

The signs, very professionally made and carrying an official national park crest, say that footpaths are open which, in fact, are very much closed. Their appearance has caused widespread consternation because Ingleborough is one of the famous Three Peaks, one of Britain's most popular walking areas.

Jon Avison, head of park management, said angrily: "Someone has gone out of their way to put up fake signs falsely indicating that a number of routes have been opened. This action is nothing short of deplorable and will only serve to confuse the public, rock their confidence in the area and run the risk of sending the public onto open moorland, which at this time is not safe.

"We should be focussing our efforts on how best we can help the farming and tourist industries and not chasing around after irresponsible individuals and taking down these fake signs. The County Council is taking this matter very seriously and the signs will be taken to the police for fingerprinting."

Other developments include:

• The Craven Foot and Mouth Task Force will meet tomorrow to consider its ongoing response to the foot and mouth crisis. The meeting will take place at the Craven District Council offices, on Granville Street in Skipton, from 10.00am.

• Rachel Mann, co-ordinator of the Task Force and Craven District Council chief executive, said: "Our hopes of keeping Craven foot and mouth free are now redundant and the area's many farming and tourist industries face a time of great worry. The challenge for the Task Force will be to address the very pressing needs of all who stand to be affected by the devastating news in anyway possible."

• As controls are tightened in Craven the opposite is happening at the other side of Yorkshire. Almost seventy miles of footpaths on the North York Moors and the Cleveland Hills are being reopened to walkers including the famous Cleveland Trail between Ravenscar and Scarborough, Helmsley and Rievaulx and also between Cold Kirby and Sutton Bank. For more details, phone 01609 532245 or visit: www.northyorks.gov.uk

• The NFU is inviting country folk to join a ten-kilometre fun run in London on July 22 to raise money for the victims of foot and mouth. Anyone wanting to take part should call the race hotline 01538-70333 and ask for a country team entry form.