MORE footpaths and bridleways are to be closed in North Yorkshire as the battle against foot-and-mouth disease continues.

The restrictions - on top of those already in place - are in the newly-designated Thirsk disinfection area.

Their imposition follows discussions between the county council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Footpaths and bridleways in the area will generally be closed until the intensive disinfection campaign, announced on Monday, comes to an end.

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council, John Weighell said: "At our meeting with Lord Whitty, the Food Chain Minister, he made it clear that all public rights of way should be open in North Yorkshire except where the Government and the county council agreed they should remain closed on disease control grounds.

"The new area of closure agreed with the Government is in support of the intensive bio-security activity around Thirsk."

A spokesman for DEFRA said: "The new restrictions apply only to the area of intensive bio-security around Thirsk. The county council should now add this area to the other four areas where the department has agreed a closure policy should remain in force."

The new restrictions apply broadly the to the area bounded by Northallerton, Helmsley, Malton, York, Harrogate and Ripon. All footpaths and bridleways within the area will remain closed for the time being.

Paths and bridleways within the new bio-security zone that were re-opened on June 16 _ the area south of the A170 and east of the A19_ will be closed again during the course of this week.

Within that area individual paths will be considered for opening on a risk assessment basis. Those crossing land not used for livestock may remain open and the county council will continue be closely monitoring the situation.

The number of foot-and-mouth case in North Yorkshire climbed to 122 today.

A new outbreak at The Shades at Sutton, Thirsk, takes that cluster up to 11, while a new one at Croft Closes, Giggleswick, takes the Settle-Clitheroe cluster up to 100.

Read more about foot-and-mouth here.

Updated: 17.10 Wednesday, July 25