THE return of one spring tradition yesterday could epitomise the rebirth of the North Yorkshire Dales in the wake of last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The Middleham Stables open day was a casualty of the epidemic 12 months ago.

The cancellation heralded a disastrous year, which also saw the town's historic castle closed for several months, cutting off another stream of income for businesses which rely on the tourist trade.

However, thousands of racing fans were back when a total of 16 yards located in and around the town opened their stable doors to the public.

And, with Middleham's other attractions also back in action, most were optimistic that the crisis could finally be behind them.

"It didn't really affect us directly," said trainer George Moore, who welcomed last year's Grand National winner Red Marauder to his stables yesterday.

"We could still ride out on the nearby moors, which were never closed, and life at the stables went on pretty much as normal.

"What we missed were race meetings in the North, which were cancelled during the crisis. If we wanted to compete, we had to travel south, which made things a little more difficult."

However, Mr Moore was among those delighted with yesterday's turnout and was hoping it was a sign the countryside is definitely back in business.

"We must have had thousands of people through our gates today,'' he said. "Red Marauder has been a real star, with crowds four-deep outside his box all day."

As well as local shops, cafes and pubs, other attractions included a country fair, a farrier's workshop and art exhibitions with an equestrian theme.

"It has been significantly busy and I'm sure the weather has made a difference," said spokeswoman Marcia Kennedy.

"The accident on the A1 at Boroughbridge may have slowed some people down, and I know there were quite a few late arrivals among those coming up from the south. However, some stables were open later than usual, so I don't think they will have missed everything.''