A WELL-KNOWN agricultural show secretary and her husband became the latest Teesdale victims to lose their stock.

Mr Chris Duke and his wife Christine, secretary of Durham County Show, had only 15 hoggs on half an acre of land behind their home at Winston Road in Staindrop.

But, under a D notice imposed on them following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth at nearby Cleatlam, the animals were examined by a vet before being slaughtered on Wednesday.

"I kept the hoggs as a hobby," said Mr Duke, who faces an agonising wait to hear the results of tests taken before the cull.

"The vet found a blister on one, no bigger than a knitting needle head, but I am concerned for those around me so I am hoping that the tests prove negative.

"I only bought them in January with the intention of keeping them for six weeks or so, but then the outbreak began," he added. "I used to keep pedigree Suffolks so I am relieved at not having to feed those, otherwise I would have been demented."

Another Teesdale farmer has taken drastic action to cut down the risk of taking infection to his Swaledale sheep.

Mr Ian Stoddart, who has asked for his whereabouts not to be disclosed, has been living in a caravan for the past fortnight to avoid travelling to and fro to feed his animals.

He keeps in touch with wife Irene by mobile phone, while his family cares for cattle back at the farm. His only other contact with the outside world is a visit to the local shop and contact with the Upper Teesdale agricultural support service, which keeps him up to date with the epidemic.

Other farmers in the county who have fallen victim this week, bringing the total to 85, include Messrs J & S Bainbridge of Hill Top Farm at Winston; Mr H Dent of East Farm, Morton Tinmouth; Mr R H A Gray of Langley House, Lanchester; Mr D Etherington of Jubilee Wood Farm, Heighington; Mr T P Cockburn of Newbiggin Farm and Mr K Allinson of Neamour Hall Farm, both with animals at Jubilee Wood; Mr G Elliott of Fulforth Farm, Witton Gilbert; Mr C Hodgson of Piercebridge Farm, Piercebridge and Mr T C Walton of Middridge Farm, Newton Aycliffe.

l A man who was given an assurance that he had managed to stop the lighting of a funeral pyre near a busy trunk road saw the decision overturned by officials on Monday.

Mr John Alderson, who lives at Houghton le Side, became concerned when he saw carcases being piled up for burning only 50 yards from Houghton Bank on the A68 between Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

"I was very concerned that thick smoke would drift across the A68," said Mr Alderson. "If you pull up in smoke and someone does not pull up as quickly you can easily be involved in an accident. This is an exceptionally busy road on a very steep bank."

He was also concerned about possible health risks from the lighting of the fire. Burning was stopped in Cumbria this week and experiments were going on in Devon about the possible toxic effects of breathing in fumes.

"I was delighted when the army sergeant got in touch with his HQ and telephoned me to say they had accepted what I said and were not going to light the pyre," said Mr Alderson. "But he rang back later to say that there had been a U-turn on that decision."

The pyre was eventually lit at 4.20pm on Monday.

A spokesman for the Newcastle control centre said, "A decision was taken to assess the balance of risk against leaving carcasses out in the open or burning them. It was decided to go ahead."