THE North-East's rural economy is set to lose millions of pounds in extra revenue during the traditionally lucrative grouse shooting season.

With only three weeks to go until the Glorious Twelfth, the traditional August start of the season, many parts of the region will remain closed due to foot-and-mouth restrictions.

The region's rural economy could lose as much as £30m with around half of the usual shooting areas closed.

Thousands of enthusiasts from home and abroad descend on the region's moorlands every year, but some tourists have already decided to cancel their trips because they were afraid the Government would decide against any shooting taking place at all.

On Monday (July 16) the Government announced that shooting could go-ahead in limited areas only, and listed a comprehensive list of restrictions and guidelines.

The main restrictions apply to any land within a three kilometre radius of an infected farm and a ten kilometre radius of a farm infected within the last 30 days.

The Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) will issue licences to anyone wishing to hold shooting events, but it is expected that only half of those usually holding events will be able to apply.

Angela Vaux, chairman of the North Yorkshire and South Durham branch of the Countryside Alliance, said it was bad news for the region's already ailing rural economy.

"The damage will be fantastic, a real hammer blow for the countryside, which usually enjoys a bumper period around this time of year", she said.

"I can't imagine there will be much shooting this year at all, and to be honest it seems that everybody is once again waiting for guidance from the Government."

Areas that will be worst hit by the restrictions are the North Yorks Moors, parts of Teesdale and Weardale, and Northumberland.

Lindsay Waddell, chairman of the National Gamekeepers Organisation's Moorland Branch, said the number of birds was up from in recent years.

He said: "It is ironic that when we should be enjoying one of the best seasons in recent memory, with the number of grouse the highest in the past decade, we face one of the bleakest."