GOVERNMENT ministers are set to lift foot-and-mouth restrictions on the movement of animals for North-East farmers within days, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The move will mean hundreds of farmers in the region can finally start rebuilding their devastated profession.

It was announced yesterday that the Penrith Spur, which takes in part of South-West Durham and Cumbria, is no longer an infected area.

Ministers have downgraded hundreds of square miles to a "high risk" zone.

But The Northern Echo understands that as early as next week these restrictions will be eased again, as County Durham, North Yorkshire, and Cumbria will be labelled "at risk" areas.

Northumberland is already an "at risk" area, which means farmers in the whole of the North will soon be able to move cattle from county to county.

However, the movement of sheep is still restricted to specific counties, and flocks will still have to be blood-tested.

But the downgrade will come as a welcome relief to farmers who will finally be free to start rebuilding their devastated businesses.

Last night, a spokesman for the National Farmers Union confirmed the news.

He said: "It is hoped that from next Wednesday, or early next week, the status of County Durham, North Yorkshire and Cumbria will be changed to "at risk".

"It will mean that we will be able to move more freely between the counties.''

The last recorded case of foot-and-mouth was on September 30, in Cumbria, and since then farmers have been hoping that the virus had finally died off.

Slowly, as restrictions are being lifted, many are now starting for the first time to look to a future which only weeks ago many thought was not possible.

The NFU spokesman said: "It is a clear indication that foot-and-mouth is in decline and that we are returning rapidly to some sort of normality."

He said that the feeling of many farmers was relief. But he said: "There is still a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy involved in moving livestock but as these restrictions come off hopefully it will get better.''