CULLING contractors in the heart of North Yorkshire's foot and mouth crisis zone have been found with dirty machinery.

Trading standards officers said they "read the Riot Act" to contractors after discovering grass and mud on equipment like lifting gear on cull workers' wagons near Thirsk.

Graham Venn, assistant head of North Yorkshire trading standards, said infection rules had not been broken, though officers feared the items might have been on their way to a "relevant premise".

They got in touch with the contractors to ensure the items were cleansed first.

He added: "What we have done is read the Riot Act. We have issued warnings to the culling teams and to the cleansing and disinfection teams that the same rules apply to them as apply to the (farming) industry.

"We won't tolerate any indiscretions just because they are on the culling team or the cleansing and disinfection team."

A Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) spokeswoman said: "All DEFRA staff and all contractors working for DEFRA are aware that the restrictions apply to everyone working or living in the bio-security zone, without exception."

She added the latest tests for the disease in the area had proved negative.

So far 77 vehicles have been found to be inadequately disinfected out of 659 checked since the bio-security zone around Thirsk was set up last month.

And 80 out of 1,165 farms surveyed have been issued with notices for breaching cleansing rules.

Mr Venn said eight more farms were being further investigated.

Countryside Minister Elliot Morley said: "In future, farmers and drivers who fail to comply with the bio-security requirement are likely to be reported for prosecution.

"I am determined that within 30 days there will be no bio-security failures within the area under patrol."

The European Parliament is being urged to conduct an inquiry into the Yorkshire foot and mouth outbreak.

The call is from the leader of the Conservative Euro MPs, Edward McMillan-Scott, who represents Yorkshire and Humberside.

He wants the probe to take place as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the effect that the disease has had across the EU.

Mr McMillan-Scott said: "The European Parliament is the right place to examine theof this terrible epidemic which has blighted farms across the Yorkshire area and beyond."

Updated: 11:34 Thursday, August 09, 2001