NATIONAL park staff are facing more and more aggression from the public as tension mounts over the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Angry people are bombarding North York Moors national park staff with questions about when paths and routes are to be re-opened.

But park authority chief executive, Mr Andy Wilson, said this week that a tough stance was justified in the light of the latest outbreak near Whitby.

In a special update, Mr Wilson told members of the authority on Monday: "We have been resisting opening up the moorland. We have stuck to our guns and in the light of recent developments, we are glad we have."

He was referring to the virus being discovered at Leaholm Lawns Farm at Houlsyke last Friday where 90 cattle and 400 sheep have had to be slaughtered.

Two nearby farms also faced a preventive cull of hundreds of animals.

However, the authority did agree to open up more paths not affected by livestock.

The Houlsyke outbreak follows cases at Ruswarp and at Westerdale. It confirms fears expressed by Danby Parish Council that the disease would leapfrog across the Esk Valley.

"Just when we thought it was OK, we got a new case and that really is a bitter blow," said Mr Wilson. "We thought we had seen the last of it but this outbreak in the middle of the Esk Valley could be very damaging for the park as a whole."

He said the outbreak was taking up an enormous amount of staff time and hitting other programmes.

"One of the main spin-offs is the increasing yet understandable frustration of rural businesses which are going broke," added Mr Wilson. "Some people are being quite aggressive towards staff. They want to know why we have not opened up more land."

Mr Peter Godbold from Egton said: "There are other disasters waiting to happen for rural businesses. They need help." Mrs Val Anthony added: "I know that some of these businesses are going to go under."

Mr Wilson said the park had opened paths with no livestock on them.

Mrs Jean Tallantire said there could be no question of opening the moorland.

Mr Wilson said that 85pc of paths were closed, plus moorland.

"My fear is if we don't open them, we will not be able to keep the moorland line due to all the complaints," he said.

It was agreed to open up 12-15pc of paths