CREWE and Nantwich's battle against foot and mouth was on a knife edge this week.

The incubation period of the virus is soon to expire after the second outbreak in Baddiley two weeks ago and with no more new cases confirmed farmers are crossing their fingers that they can ride out the storm.

However, the case in Cheshire seemingly worsened after an outbreak was confirmed in the previously uninfected area of Northwich.

An infection was confirmed at Desley Heath Farm in Cogshall Lane, Little Leigh, near Northwich, and 100 cattle and nine sheep were slaughtered.

Around 160 sheep were also slaughtered at Willows Farm in Astbury near Congleton after MAFF apparently found clinical signs of Foot and Mouth in the flock.

Officials and farmers from Nantwich have also raised concerns about the lack of communication from the Government over the foot and mouth situation in the borough.

Council chiefs and now NFU members and farmers have all voiced worries, saying that often the press know before they do.

Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien stated in the House of Commons: "The Minister will know that Mr Huntbach, who suffered the second outbreak in Cheshire attempted last Friday night to call the Ministry, as did the local vet.

"There was no answer and no answering machine, so telephones are clearly not being manned on a 24-hour basis.

"Having failed to contact the Stafford office he tried Worcester, which told him to call Stafford again.

"Eventually, he was given a fax number but it took 24 hours before contact was made, the offices of MAFF need to be fully staffed and the main telephone line needs to be manned on a 24 hour basis."

South Cheshire spokesman for the NFU, Peter Morgan, confirmed he was also looking into the situation: "Locals are trying to find out up to date information about who has got it and who is being investigated and the MAFF website is not updated anywhere near frequently enough with information about the outbreak," he said.

"If you get factual information at your fingertips it does help to a degree to put people's minds at rest, being totally in the dark is something which is not conducive to the situation.

"It is difficult to talk to MAFF at the present they are totally tied up on the foot and mouth issue." he added.

Sandra Allwood, from Burland Farm, outside Nantwich, said: "One of the things which is the most frustrating is the lack of information availability," she explained.

"MAFF are meant to update their website every two to three hours, but they only do it once or twice a day. We ring the helpline but it is totally useless, they said that they get their information from the website as well."

A MAFF spokeswoman maintained any farmers wanting information could contact one of the information officers at the Crewe-cased MAFF Office on 754000.

The MAFF office is manned seven days from 8am until 6pm and the national helpline on 0845 050 4141 is manned seven days 8am-11pm.

The spokesman added said: "The website is updated daily and certain information is up dated two to three times a day.

"Farmers can contact the Crewe office and speak to one of us, very often if we cannot help we can find somebody that can get the information."

BY PETE HENSHAW