Farmers are facing a nervous 48-hour wait to learn whether foot-and-mouth disease has struck the region again.

Initial tests on samples taken from premises at High Worsall, near Yarm, came back negative today - but movement restrictions on dozens of farms will remain in place until the results are officially confirmed.

Farms within eight kilometres of Moorhouse Farm - where one cow was found to be showing symptoms of the disease which devastated rural areas last year - will be unable to move livestock until Tuesday.

Early checks proved negative but a ministry spokesman said: "We won't know further results until Monday and should confirm it on Tuesday, but we are breathing a little easier."

It is the second major scare to hit the region as farmers begin the process of re-stocking in the wake of the epidemic which forced many out of business. Herbert Bainbridge, whose Moorhouse Farm premises have been investigated, had his previous stock destroyed in May.

In February, the agricultural industry was placed on red alert as sheep on a farm at Hawnby, near Thirsk, were checked, but results came back negative.