AN award-winning country pub that was forced to close after the foot-and-mouth crisis, re-opened its doors last night.

The Countryman, at Bolam, near Darlington, saw takings drop by two-thirds when the outbreak started in 2001. It closed the following year.

Now it has been taken over by Paul Stabler, who plans to run it with his wife, Alison, as a food-orientated pub.

The couple, who also run the Traveller's Rest, in Witton Gilbert, near Durham City, have moved into the pub, near the village of Heighington, with their daughter Joanna, ten, and 19-month-old twins Daniel and Jamie.

Mr Stabler said: "Local people are over the moon that it's going to be re-opening. We've had a lot of good feedback and we're happy to get it open for the community."

The only problem Mr Stabler has encountered is recruiting staff.

"At the moment I've only got two, although family are helping out and I'm using staff from my other pub," he said. "Maybe it's because we're a bit out of the way."