A COUNTY Durham riding school's hopes of holding a show over the August bank holiday have been dashed.

The business run from Backandsides Farm at Hummerbeck, West Auckland, has been at a standstill since foot-and-mouth disease hit the region back in February.

Mr Vince Williams, who runs the stables with his business partner, Mrs Jackie Moffett, had been hoping to have restrictions lifted to enable them to stage its first show since the outbreak.

He told the D&S Times: "I'm afraid Defra pulled the plug on us again. We haven't had the disease on our farm, but we are in an infected area.

"Defra has done everything properly and its decision was that it would be unwise to hold an equestrian event on August 26 - and for the foreseeable future.

"I can see no light at the end of the tunnel. It is so frustrating."

There had been interest from throughout the region, including Cumbria, in the now cancelled event.

The riding school was set up in January 2000 and was gradually building up clients and income.

"We still have the horses and ponies and I have been building a cross country course to try to improve the facilities," said Mr Williams, a former soldier who is now supported by his Army pension.

"We had also planned to open a new outdoor riding arena this year, but that has had to go. We had a YT girl, but we couldn't afford to keep her. It is a really sad thing."