FARMERS have spoken with anger and frustration about their experiences during last year's foot and mouth crisis at a North Yorkshire inquiry.

Over 100 members of the rural community crammed into Harrogate's Wesley Methodist Chapel for the last public meeting of the "Lessons Learned" foot and mouth inquiry.

The two-hour meeting heard of the human, animal and financial suffering caused by the outbreak of the disease from dozens of people from across North Yorkshire.

Anger was directed at the government, countryside agencies and army for their management of the crisis which devastated the region's farming economy.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh stressed the importance of a comprehensive inquiry so that the mistakes made in the past would not be repeated.

She said: "What was most worrying was that we were told there would be a contingency plan.

"But after the outbreak reached Thirsk we were told it did not cover North Yorkshire."

Thirsk farmer Kevin Littleboy said workers attending telephone help lines during the crisis had no experience of rural affairs.

He said: "When I was asked if a ram was male or female I questioned the usefulness of the people manning the phones."

He added that there was a lack of official information which encouraged rumours and exaggeration during the peak of the crisis.

Others criticised the lack of communication between organisations tackling the disease and their failure to listen to rural voices.

Many said there was a lack of common sense shown by politicians and countryside bosses in their handling of the situation.

Calls for a full, independent public inquiry were met with cheers and applause.

Afterwards inquiry chairman Dr Iain Anderson said it had been a very emotional and worthwhile meeting.

He said: "It is an important part of the process that people can express themselves at a public meeting.

"This is not a second-best inquiry, we are being open and inclusive and, above all, acting quickly.

"I can think of nothing else that we could do that would uncover critical lessons for the future."

Updated: 08:35 Friday, April 05, 2002