A VETERINARY surgeon is to co-ordinate foot-and-mouth related inquiries from vets across Yorkshire and Humberside.

The move came after vets from the region met officials from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Harrogate last week.

The meeting followed lobbying of the Conservative leader and Richmond MP, Mr William Hague, by representatives of 26 practices across North Yorkshire.

The vets were protesting against the government's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis. They condemned Defra for a lack of communication and interpretation, which led to confusion among those in the profession as well as farmers and the public.

The vets, many of whom are in the front line tackling the virus, claimed that MAFF had failed to change anything but its name and letterhead when it became Defra after last month's general election.

Mr Paul Roger, of Swale veterinary surgery in Richmond, said the Harrogate meeting was very productive. "Defra is going to put a veterinary surgeon in, based at Leeds, to co-ordinate practitioners' inquiries and problems. That will be one point of contact with someone who actually understands the kind of problems we face, which is a big improvement."

It was hoped the official would be in place within the next few weeks.

Mr Roger said the meeting, and lobbying Mr Hague in Northallerton on Saturday, July 14, also raised the profile of the disease nationally.

Vets from North Yorkshire supported a bid by the county council for a phased re-opening of footpaths instead of the blanket opening proposed by the government.

Mr Jeremy Walker, council chief executive, wrote to ministers with the request. The authority had previously asked for a 6km protection zone around infected premises instead of the government's proposed 3km.

The vets particularly share farmers' concerns that re-opening rights of way could bring the disease to the currently uninfected Swaledale.

On Tuesday of last week it emerged that seven counties - Cumbria, Devon, Durham, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Lancashire and Somerset - would be allowed to keep the blanket closures in parts of their areas.

However, other areas such as East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire would have their rights of way compulsorily re-opened.

This week's decision to allow continued closures is reported on page 15.

Mr Roger welcomed the county council's caution but said the government must do more to help businesses suffering because of the restrictions. "Businesses need to be supported for at least the rest of the summer," he said. "It is going to be another few months before we can really declare places free from foot-and-mouth, if we can get on top of it."