BUSINESSES in Malton are cautiously welcoming the news that cattle markets may be able to resume from February.

Markets were shut down at the beginning of the year to curb the spread of the foot and mouth epidemic.

But now they have been given the all-clear to start once more, providing there are no more disease scares.

North Yorkshire is expected to be given free status on December 31, with the further relaxing of strict rules on animal movements.

Licensee Lofty Braithwaite, who runs the Royal Oak in the Market Place, said it would mean the days of Malton as a "ghost town" could soon be over.

He said: "We are a market town at the end of the day and we do need farmers coming into Malton.

"The sooner the market can reopen the better."

A spokeswoman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that strict biosecurity measures would still be in force when the markets resumed.

Auctioneer James Stephenson said he believed Defra was considering February 11 as the reopening date, but that it was subject to further approval.

Updated: 12:11 Thursday, December 27, 2001