THE battle against foot and mouth disease in North Yorkshire has scored another significant victory.

The last remaining part of the county to be classified as "infected" has now been downgraded to "high risk."

Farmers are hoping the whole of North Yorkshire will be reclassified as being merely "at risk" by midnight next Monday.

The long-awaited final step for the county would then be for it to be declared disease-free, but that announcement is thought to be at least several weeks away.

Last night's downgrading of an area around Settle and Skipton to high risk marks a symbolic milestone for farmers, nine months after the start of the world's worst epidemic of the virus.

It also eases restrictions on the movement of animals, albeit under strict licensing restrictions.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs said today that a final test needed to be completed on a blood sample from a sheep before a decision could be taken on downgrading the county to "at risk", further easing restrictions on movements.

She said the sheep had shown signs of being exposed to the virus, but it was hoped the tests would show it did not have the disease.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales is to visit North Yorkshire on December 17 to meet farmers and others from the rural communities who have suffered in the foot and mouth epidemic.

The Prince will go to Craven and also to Knayton village hall near Thirsk, where he will meet farmers, businesses and other representatives of the local country community.

- Public bodies across the northern uplands are to be asked if they wish to back a call for a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has agreed a motion calling for other park and local authorities in the region to be approached and asked if there is a will among them to press for a public hearing.

Updated: 11:28 Thursday, November 29, 2001