disease fears spread

HE impact of the foot and mouth crisis is being felt throughout Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich as the countryside faces complete shutdown.

The ban on movement of livestock, due to end on Friday, March 2 has been extended by a further two weeks until Friday, March 16.

Farmers can get licences for limited movement to abattoirs, but strict conditions have been imposed and the risk of the spread of disease remains as strong as ever.

This has left a vast number of leisure and recreation facilities having to close.

Vale Royal Borough Council has announced the closure of the Knight's Grange golf course, Winsford.

A spokesman for the borough council said: "The public have been asked to stay away from the countryside generally and farms in particular during this critical stage of disease control.

"This message is just as important in Vale Royal, where no disease has been confirmed to date."

Vale Royal has also shut down 12 of its open spaces including Bowyer's Waste at Oakmere, Bandshed Wood at Anderton, Marshall's Arm nature reserve at Hartford, Leftwich Meadows, Rilshaw Meadows (Winsford Town Council), Flaxmere Moss at Delamere, Road One Pond at Winsford, Barnton Tunnel Top, Whitegate Way and Ways Green, at Winsford.

Congleton Borough Council has similarly announced the closure of nine of its sites and warned that more may follow.

Northwich Anglers' Association is urging all members to refrain from fishing at all rivers, lakes and canals throughout Vale Royal.

This includes eight miles of the River Weaver and 19 miles of the Trent and Mersey Canal, and follows the Environment Agency's announcement that all fishing waters in its ownership will be closed to the public until further notice.

Dafydd Evans, the agency's North West Regional Water Manager said: "Fish do not carry foot and mouth disease. Rather it is the risk of contamination via boots, equipment, clothing and vehicles that needs to be guarded against.

"We would encourage those in the fishing community to take a common sense approach."

Cheshire Wildlife Trust has closed all of its nature reserves in the county.

Throughout Cheshire, Halton, Warrington, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wirral there are 46 reserves representing over 650 acres of countryside.

Trust director Chris Mahon said: "The ewes of our flock of sheep are due to lamb with 135 lambs expected imminently.

"As foot and mouth can be spread by humans as well as deer and other wildlife we should do all we can to help farmers tackle this dreadful disease."

Meanwhile, many businesses which believed they were not at risk have also been hit hard by the crisis.

A farmers' market at Eddisbury Fruit Farm on March 17 has been cancelled.

Monica Haworth, from the fruit farm, said: "We thought that as fruit farmers we would escape the worst impact, but farmers' markets bring in 90 per cent of our income at this time of year.

"We have had to postpone deliveries and lay off staff. It is having a devastating impact."

Even an antique fair planned for Arley Hall over the weekend of March 16 to 18 has had to be cancelled.