ASH from a mass foot-and-mouth funeral pyre will be stored on Teesside before being shipped out of the region.

Specialist contractors wearing protective clothing and special helmets are expected to start work this week digging up ash from the former burning site at Widdrington, Northumberland.

It will then be taken in sealed containers by lorry to a rail freight depot in Middlesbrough, from where it will be transported by train to a landfill site - which has yet to be identified - elsewhere in the country.

A spokeswoman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that although the ash would be stored in Teesside, it would not be there for any length of time because a burial site would be quickly identified.

The Hemscott Hill site at Widdrington was used to burn thousands of cattle over five years old, and the ash has been lying there for almost two months.

The Defra spokeswoman said the transportation of the ash presented no risk to people living near the site.

She said: "Samples of ash have been taken from the site and have been analysed. The material is considered not to be dangerous.

"It is more dangerous working with the ash and moving it from the pyres. Operatives doing the work will be fully protected to minimise the risk of inhaling dust.

"However, we would like to advise residents to stay at least 300 metres upwind of the site because it can aggravate asthma. Everything is being done to minimise that sort of problem."

It is expected that up to 200 lorries will take away the ash. The site will then be restored to a natural habitat.

Experts confirmed yesterday that a further case of foot-and-mouth disease had been discovered in the Whitby area.

Livestock at Leaholm Lawns Farm, Houlsyke, Whitby, were slaughtered after the fourth case to hit the area since the epidemic began.

Two previous cases had earlier been confirmed in Westerdale and another at Ruswarp.

Protestors fighting for the closure of a mass County Durham burial site were dealt another blow yesterday.

Councillor Sid Worgan, from Tow Law Town Council, said he was told animal carcasses from Settle, North Yorkshire, were being brought to the village despite local objections.

Nobody from Defra was available to comment last night.