HOLIDAYMAKERS were today urged by North Yorkshire farmers' leader Ben Gill to enjoy their Easter break in the countryside - while still taking care to avoid spreading foot and mouth.

He said he acknowledged that tight restrictions imposed in the wake of the outbreak had hit the tourist industry very hard.

"A balance must be found," said Mr Gill, the president of the National Farmers' Union, who farms near Easingwold.

"There are many sites that people can still visit and enjoy, from country houses to farmers' markets."

But he urged visitors to the countryside to obey all keep-out signs.

Cyclists won back the right to use the full length of the York-Selby cycle track today after restrictions were lifted on the Riccall-Bishopthorpe section.

Councillor John Duggan, councillor for Cawood, said cyclists had posed little threat of spreading the disease as they went through agricultural land, and operators Sustrans had agreed to re-open the path after discussions with North Yorkshire County Council. "It's a very popular tourist route for cyclists, especially at Easter," he said.

The coastal footpath and RSPB nature reserve at Flamborough Cliffs have also re-opened.

York MP and Government Minister Hugh Bayley was spending today in the wilds of Dalby Forest, near Pickering, to drive home the message that the countryside is open for business.

The woodland, which attracts 250,000 visitors each year, was partially re-opened last week after a month-long shutdown. Mr Bayley was inaugurating a new trail at Pexton Bank.

York tourism chiefs have developed three "walking trails" in the city for walkers unable to ramble in the countryside - the Bar Walls Trail, the Archaeological Trail and the Medieval Churches Trail.

The York Tourism Bureau said walkers and hikers were descending on the city in droves.

But many people dashed to airports and ferry ports yesterday in a bid for some sun.

Thousands of passengers passed through Humberside and Leeds Bradford International airports and P&O North Sea Ferries said they were expecting a heavy load of travellers using Hull port today.

North Yorkshire police said the region's roads were busy, but said so far the traffic was still moving.

The Highways Agency said it was suspending most roadworks on motorways and trunk roads.

A new case of foot and mouth was confirmed today at Manor House, Tunstall, near Richmond, in North Yorkshire.

Nearly a third of farms could be infected with foot and mouth disease unless the firebreak culling of healthy cattle near infected sites is intensified, scientists at London's Imperial College School of Medicine said today.

Updated: 10:24 Friday, April 13, 2001