FARMERS are hoping the worst of foot-and-mouth may now be over after no further cases were reported in the region during the past seven days.

The last reported outbreak was on September 30, in Northumberland, leaving the UK total at 2,030.

Of those, 134 cases have been in North Yorkshire, 93 in County Durham, 87 in Northumberland, six in Tyne and Wear, and five in Teesside - making the North of England the area worst hit by the disease.

However, even with no fresh cases reported, farming remains in the grip of the epidemic with some farmers unable to move their stock since February. National Farmers Union president, Ben Gill, will be meeting farmers from Northumberland and Durham later this week to hear how the disease has affected them.

"Autumn is a crucial time in the farming calendar, when livestock farmers in the upland areas traditionally sell their young cattle and land to lowland producers," said regional director Richard Ellison.

An independent watchdog, set up by the Government, is using the Internet to gauge opinion on Westminster's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The National Audit Office is inviting contributions from farmers, vets, rural businesses and others affected by the crisis under four broad headings.

The investigation will cover how well prepared MAFF was for a major outbreak of the disease before its reorganisation, how it handled the crisis, if it was cost effective and the impact of the disease on the UK economy.

Comments, and any supporting evidence, should be emailed to fmd

Read more about the foot-and-mouth crisis here.