FARMERS were today breathing a massive sigh of relief after the final all-clear was given on a suspected case of foot and mouth disease at a North Yorkshire farm.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced that no traces of the disease were found at St Agnes Farm, Hawnby, between Helmsley and Thirsk, which was at the centre of its investigations into a possible new case.

A relieved Robin Garbutt, who runs St Agnes farm, said: "We are pleased to have finally had the official all-clear and can now continue to get back to normal. It has not been as bad for us as it has been for other people who didn't know the full facts."

Rob Simpson, regional spokesman for the National Farmers' Union, said: "It is fantastic news. It lifts a cloud of fear from North Yorkshire. There's no doubt it has shaken up the farming community and reminded us of the nightmare of last year."

Animal Health Minister Elliot Morley was due to visit Wensleydale today to make an announcement to help the community recover from the crisis.

He said: "This episode underlines the need for farmers and vets to continue to be vigilant and to look out for any signs of the disease and to report any signs to DEFRA. The highest possible standards of biosecurity must be maintained at all times."

Government vets began investigating the case on Tuesday last week when lesions - one of the signs associated with foot and mouth - were found in the mouths of two sheep at the Hawnby farm.

The farm was in the process of restocking after its previous stock was culled following a "dangerous contact", rather than a case of the disease, at the height of the foot and mouth crisis.

The two sheep in the latest incident were culled as a precaution and samples were taken from them and 150 other sheep on the farm.

By Thursday initial tests had proved negative but it was only just after 1pm yesterday (SUN) when further tests were completed and the final all-clear was given.

DEFRA can now lift the ban on livestock movement in a five-mile radius of the farm. Separate restrictions on farms which supplied sheep to the farm will also be lifted and normal restocking procedures will now resume at the farm.

The news has been welcomed by the farming community, but Rob Simpson warned that it was highly likely there would be other similar incidents as farmers continued restocking and he urged people to remain calm.

"We are likely to get more of these scares in the coming months and everyone has to be on their guard and continue to treat this disease as if it is still lurking our there somewhere," he said.

"Only with everyone's assistance and vigilance will we be able to beat the disease. People should continue to be vigilant, particularly with the continuation of the lambing season."

Mr Garbutt said: "The situation we had here will certainly recur again in other places and people should not panic unnecessarily."

Blood tests are continuing at the farm as part of the standard procedure for restocking.

Updated: 08:47 Monday, March 04, 2002