A MENTAL health group is bracing itself for an increase in mental health problems in the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The emotional and mental toll the disease is inflicting on farmers and rural communities is still uncertain, says the mental health charity RuralMinds, an off-shoot of the Mind organisation.

The charity has no record of any suicides in rural areas during the foot-and-mouth crisis. However, its national development manager, Keith Elder, said that, once the immediate crisis was over, people would need support.

Mr Elder said: "We guess that people are responding to the crisis. But when reality sets in and people try to take stock of the situation, that's when the increase might happen.

"There are lots of crisis lines being set up which are giving fantastic, practical support, but we feel the mental health problems will kickstart for some people in the medium and long term, once the animals have gone and the farm has been cleaned."

Mind is offering £30,000 in grants to North-East communities affected by the crisis. Funds are also available to groups who can provide urgent support to people experiencing "emotional distress and trauma" as a result of the crisis.

The charity has already been flooded with applications for backing.

Read more about foot-and-mouth here.