EMBATTLED Ministry of Agriculture politicians and civil servants were today combating growing allegations from the opposition and countryside experts that attempts were made to cover up the first outbreaks of foot and mouth.

The Ministry has issued a firm denial - "There was no cover up" - but a disturbing number of reports suggest that the disease may have been taking grip weeks before the official announcement of confirmation on February 19.

Even worse, the BBC Radio Four programme ran a story this morning that the first outbreak was spotted in Northumberland as early as December, when the RSPCA tried to inspect a suspect farm. Society officials were banned from visiting the farm on orders from Northumberland County Council, the report claimed.

This has been categorically denied by MAFF for the implications could have enormous political consequences. The ministry has still not recovered from the blow to its reputation for trying to cover up BSE which - depending on the expert you believe - was kept secret for as long as two years or more.

However, in the past few days' suspicions have been growing that the epidemic could have started some time before the official announcement.

• As we reported last week, a flock of sheep slaughtered in France had been imported from Wales in January.

• And there are also reports that fuel companies which supplied wood for cattle funeral pyres in the 1967 outbreak had been contacted two weeks before the February 19 announcement asking if they were in a position to make new deliveries - a story even picked up by comedian Rory Bremner in his weekend TV show.

Whatever the truth of these reports, it will make the competence of MAFF to handle major epidemics a major political issue if, and when, Prime Minister Tony Blair calls a general election.

In another major development, the Government is expected to issue the results of the investigation into the cause of the first officially recorded outbreak in Northumberland.

It is expected to say that the disease was brought into the country on food illegally imported from China by Chinese restaurants.

Remains of such food were found amongst pigswill due to to be fed to pigs on the first affected farm. As a result, the Government is expected to ban the feeding of swill to pigs.