FARMERS and small business owners in North Yorkshire are once again waiting with fingers crossed today dreading that the nightmare of foot and mouth disease has returned.

Blood samples taken from two sheep at St Agnes Farm, near Helmsley, were being examined by Government scientists for suspected infection and livestock movements have been banned within a five mile radius.

The result of the tests should be announced later today and DEFRA officials are saying that the movement restrictions have been imposed as a precautionary measure.

This morning, the DEFRA website was still reporting that the last confirmed case was at Appleby, Cumbria, last September 30. Ironically, the site also carries a report that the UK was confirmed as being FMD free by the European Union on February 5.

However, with the spring lambing season approaching, and the tourist industry gearing up for Easter, thousands of North Yorkshire people are once again on tenterhooks.


UPDATE

Initial tests on supected FMD cases near Helmsley have so far proved negative. But it will be 96 hours before this can be confirmed.