FARMERS on almost 7,000 premises in North Yorkshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire had their FMD restrictions lifted this weekend.

The ending of the Thirsk biosecurity intensification area ("blue box") lifted 1,561 farms in North Yorkshire.The last case in the Thirsk area was on August 7.

In Leicestershire, the results of tests on two suspected cases in the county were declared negative.

DEFRA Minister Lord Whitty said: " I'm particularly pleased at the success of the Thirsk BIA. After six weeks of very tough restrictions, evidence from blood tests suggests there is no significant level of undisclosed disease, and we consider the conditions are now right to lift the zone around Thirsk. I hope that similar zones around Penrith and Hexham prove equally successful.

"This doesn't mean that people in Thirsk - or anywhere else - should let their guard down. Far from it, it is vitally important that we all practise good biosecurity to reduce the risk of spreading FMD."

During the Thirsk biosecurity enforcement programme, patrols by trading standards and police officers carried out spot checks on more than 5,000 vehicles and 8,000 footbaths, and over 4,500 farms visits by milk tankers and feed lorries were supervised by officials. Infringements are now typically below 5pc of vehicles and footbaths checked, compared with over 15pc in some cases at the beginning of the programme. Some people who ignored the rules are being prosecuted.

The area to the north of the Thirsk 'blue box', which was previously in the North Yorkshire infected area will remain an infected area.

Updated: 08:48 Thursday, September 20, 2001