THE bank holiday weekend brought little comfort for farmers in the Settle area with two more foot and mouth cases and, just over the border in Lancashire, a cluster of outbreaks yesterday reached seven.

The two clusters are thought to be linked and the total now stands at 31 - a figure which now appears to be causing widespread alarm in Government circles two weeks after Prime Minister Tony Blair declared we were on the "home straight."

National media coverage over the holiday suggested that Government spin-doctors were trying desperately to shift the blame for the Craven/Clitheroe outbreaks.

The Left-leaning Independent declared that farmers were to blame, a message repeated by Government chief scientist Jim Scudamore, who says the situation had bee caused unintentionally by the movement of farm vehicles - although, at the time, such movements were not illegal. They have now been banned.

But the Tory-supporting Telegraph claimed that MAFF had been "massaging" outbreak figures nationally and there had been almost double the cases officially reported.

And all media reported the "cock-up" caused by a computer error which brought about the culling of 1,200 fit animals at Otterburn Hall Farm, near Settle. MAFF has apologised for the error.

On a more local level, a political spat developed between Yorkshire Forward, the Government's local regeneration agency, and Craven District Council, the local authority covering the Settle area.

Yorkshire Forward has announced that it will make grants of up to £15,000 available to non-farming rural businesses like hotels, restaurants and pubs hit by the crisis from a £2.5 million fund (for details, see later).

But the size of the fund came in for fierce criticism from Craven District Council, which pointed out that the North West and South West had been given £6 million each.

Councillor Chris Knowles-Fitton, leader of Craven District Council, commented: "Our farmers are either coming to terms with the loss of some 80,000 head of stock, or fearful with worry over the possible loss of herds which have taken year's of dedication and pride to build up.

"Our tourist businesses, which would normally be expecting to enter the busiest time of the year, are dealing with cancellations and lost bookings.

"This District needs additional Government support now. In the short term to address hardship, in the future to rebuild our decimated farming industry and to restore confidence in the public so they will be encouraged to return to the Dales as soon as the outbreak is over."

For more information about Yorkshire Forward help available to non-farming businesses, contact Business Link North Yorkshire information line on 01904 686000. Further information on the recovery plan can also be obtained from Yorkshire Forward's Rural Renaissance Team on 0113 394 9667.