THE CONTROVERSY over the possible use of vaccination erupted again over the Easter break after it had allegedly been put on the back burner by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Today's media launched a scathing attack on the "dithering" over the on/off decision, which has been under discussion now for a month.

Government vets are said to be in favour of a limited vaccination programme in badly hit areas like Cumbria for cattle which have been kept in sheds over winter but now are due to be released to open grazing. Many farmers still oppose the policy.

However, perhaps more importantly, the countryside awaits the promises made a week ago by government advisers that an announcement would be made today confirming whether or not the epidemic has peaked.

The latest figures show only 21 news cases on Sunday (although Monday's figures had not yet been released at the time of writing). This shows a major drop in new cases so farmers are waiting anxiously for the promised public announcement.

In another development in Yorkshire, a Wensleydale farmer has praised the efforts of MAFF in tackling an outbreak at a farm in Bellerby. Vets visited South Dyke farm within two hours of the outbreak being reported and more than a hundred sheep, plus the farm's dairy herd, were valued and culled. The carcasses were burned within 30 hours.

Despite such trauma, farmer's wife Pat Thistlethwaite commented: "The Ministry has been absolutely wonderful. I have not got a single criticism of the way they handled the outbreak. They were terrific from beginning to end."

MAFF has been noticeably short of praise but Dorothy Fairburn, Regional Director of the Country Landowners' Association, commented: "It is important to give praise where praise is due."