NORTH-EAST farmers have decided to call off a day of action planned for today, which would have severely disrupted traffic in two dales.

The action was planned as a protest against the Government's refusal to lift a 20-day ban on the movment of sheep and cattle imposed during last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic.

But Animal Health Minister Elliot Morley has announced a partial climbdown.

From now on, sheep and cattle being taken to a farm for breeding will no longer trigger a ban on other animals on the holding being moved for the next 20 days, as long as they are put into isolation.

Although plans for a national day of disruption were called off on Friday, farmers in Weardale and Teesdale were unsure whether or not to press ahead with a local pro-test.

The National Sheep Association announced it was advising members nationwide to cancel today's planned day of action, and after a series of meetings over the weekend, farmers in Weardale and Tessdale decided to follow suit.

Eastgate farmer Herbert Hutchinson, one of the pro-test leaders in Weardale, said: "We have decided to go along with the national view, but by taking this latest move, the Government has only gone so far down the road.

"We would like to see a total lifting of the 20-day movement restriction, which has already put farmers out of business and is crippling the industry."