THE recent spread of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the North-East is a matter of grave concern.

Two weeks ago, rural communities in our region appeared to be putting the nightmare behind them, and turning their attention to the future.

Today, the return of the epidemic will mean that it will be next year before farming can hope to get back on the road to normality.

In the fullness of time we will need to know how and why the outbreak has returned with such devastation. That will need to be the subject of an official inquiry.

The priority now must be on containing the disease, and restricting its impact to the absolute minimum.

The measures taken by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs are draconian, but they appear to be the only means of control.

While they are a tragedy for the farmers blighted by this new outbreak, and a further blow to local business and the tourist trade, they are a price worth paying.

The alternative is to risk failing to keep a lid on the disease, allowing it to spread to other areas, blighting the region for months to come.

IT was an unbelievable match and an unbelievable result. For England to beat Germany 5-1 away from home must rank as the best moment in English football since the World Cup victory of 1966.

It is easy to get carried away with the euphoria of the occasion. The bookmakers already have. To install England as fifth favourites at 9-1 to lift the World Cup in 2002 is somewhat premature.

As we are constantly told, there are no easy matches in modern international football. And England still have to beat Albania at St James' Park on Wednesday and then beat Greece to guarantee a place in the finals.

While the England team can expect a rapturous welcome in Newcastle on Wednesday night, they must keep their feet firmly on the ground.

Saturday's heroics in Munich will count for nothing if we don't qualify for the finals.