SCORES of North Yorkshire farmers are in limbo today as the war of words over the Government's decision to suspend foot and mouth secondary cleansing reached fever pitch.

In one of the most bitter statements ever issued by the NFU, the union condemned the decision as "diabolical." And the Yorkshire branch of the Country Landowners' Association said it was "grossly unfair" to local farmers with new outbreaks.

The decision to suspend further cleansing and disinfecting operations (C&D) of infected farm buildings and vehicles was announced out of the blue by Tony Blair on Monday to save costs, said to be running at £800 million.

At first, the industry was stunned. But now it has re-acted with fury at what is widely perceived as yet another case of the Government left hand not knowing what the right is doing.

The NFU claimed that almost 6,000 farms waiting for the arrival of the C&D squads before they can re-stock after culling are now "in limbo."

Not only will this leave thousands more farmers with no hope of beginning to pick up the pieces of their businesses; it will also delay the possible autumn movement of animals being pressed for by the NFU to ease pressure on over-stocked farms.

NFU President Ben Gill, whose own farm at Easingwold is within 20 miles of a new cluster of outbreaks in the Thirsk area, stormed: "We thought the situation was bad enough yesterday when we understood all new work was being suspended but this is quite shambolic.

"Thousands of farmers who are halfway through the clean up process will not be able to believe their ears when they are told it will have to stop. To halt all operations while this takes place is a disgrace. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever."

The CLA also joined the chorus of disapproval, with Yorkshire Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn bitterly criticising the Prime Minister for taking some 23 weeks to realise that C&D costs were "unacceptable."

"His decision is grossly unfair to farmers in Yorkshire with new outbreaks," she said. "It is our view that they should be treated in the same way as those involved in the earlier outbreaks. As it is, they will be disadvantaged."