THE cloud of fear hanging over the region's farming industry was lifted yesterday with confirmation that foot-and-mouth has not returned.

After almost five days of continuous testing, scientists from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), have finally ruled out the possibility of sheep on the North York Moors harbouring the disease.

Last night, the farmer at the centre of the scare, 48-year-old Robin Garbutt, spoke of his huge relief at the news.

"The whole community has been through an horrendous year, with businesses on the verge of bankruptcy and had this been the start of another year like that it does not bear thinking about," he said. "You can imagine the effect this has had on the community.

"I knew it was unlikely to be foot-and-mouth disease but it's still a great relief, not only for ourselves but for everyone else.

"Because of what was being said, there was a panic in the area and it's good that it has been announced formally that the results were negative."

The ban on livestock movements within a five mile radius of suspect St Agnes Farm at Hawnby, north-east of Thirsk, is now to be lifted.

Similar restrictions around the farms which supplied Mr Garbutt with his new stock will also be removed.

Mr Garbutt had been re-stocking the farm after losing 2,000 sheep and 150 cattle in a "dangerous contact" cull at the height of the foot-and-mouth crisis last August.

But lesions were found in the mouths of two of his 400 new sheep last Tuesday, and movement restrictions were imposed amid fears that the disease had returned.

Mr Garbutt said he had never considered quitting in the wake of foot-and-mouth, but would have found a second outbreak difficult to take.

He said: "It was never in doubt that we would carry on farming, but it was an experience nobody wants to go through - and a second time around would have been horrendous."

Animal Health Minister Elliott Morley said: "This episode underlines the need for farmers and vets to continue to be vigilant and to look out for the signs of the disease and to report any signs to Defra."

A spokesman for the National Farmers' Union said the news was "fantastic" but warned: "With so many farms all over the region now restocking, there is a strong likelihood of this sort of scare happening again."

Read more about foot-and-mouth here.