THE foot and mouth crisis is stopping visitors from Malaysia visiting the city, according to York's "unofficial" ambassador.

Jennie Cook, who runs, Cooks Guesthouse in Bishopthorpe Road, has been promoting York in Malaysia and after a recent visit to the country, people said they were put off from visiting a place they would have normally come to because of the outbreak.

Mrs Cook has been promoting Malaysian food and culture in York for many years and last year took it upon herself to promote York in the country where she is from.

She has just returned from a trip to Malaysia where she was hoping to push York and encourage people to visit. But said the foot and mouth crisis hindered her cause.

She said: "All the people I spoke to in Malaysia said they wouldn't come over here now because of the fear of foot and mouth.

"What people fail to understand is that York is still a safe place to come to and visitors to the city would not be affected by the outbreak.

"This message is very difficult to get across when the media over there are branding the whole of the country as a no-go area.

"I tried to allay any fears people had and hopefully the message will spread that visitors can still come here safely."

Updated: 12:05 Monday, March 26, 2001