DURHAM City's popular farmers' market returned to the Market Place last week following an enforced closure due to foot-and-mouth.

Organisers cancelled the March event to help to prevent the spread of the disease but decided to go ahead this month after taking expert advice.

Eileen Wood, operations director of Durham Markets Company, said: "A lot of people were losing income due to the markets being closed so we felt strongly about re-opening as soon as possible.

"Quite a few of our regular traders are living next to infected farms so they haven't been able to come and everyone has been asked to take precautions."

Usually the market has around 32 traders but this time there were only 25 stalls selling goods ranging from bread and cheese to cakes and soap.

Mainsgill Farm, from East Layton, near Richmond was the only stall selling meat products.

Owner Andrew Henshaw said: "At the moment the markets are the only source of income we have so we're pleased to be able to come to Durham."

Visitors to Durham and regular market shoppers flocked to the stalls to see what was on offer.

Lisa Thompson, from Framwellgate Moor, said: "I like to come to the market because you get things you can't get in the shops.

"There's no reason why it shouldn't happen if people take the right precautions and I'm pleased it's back."

Meanwhile, tourism chiefs met National Farmers' Union and Ministry of Agriculture officials on Tuesday to try to reopen some footpaths.

The chief executive of Northumbria Tourist Board, Peter Sloyan, said a prime candidate for re-opening was the walk to High Force waterfall, in Teesdale.

He said: "If we get that open, we have got a chance of saving Middleton-in-Teesdale. My fear is that, if we actually get good weather, people will almost go stir crazy, and we need to route them to where it is safe."

NFU senior policy advisor Alec Turnbull said it recognised the frustrations, but access should only be permitted when risk assessments had been carried out.

Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster is seeking talks with Culture Secretary Chris Smith on the amount of money which has been allocated for marketing.

He said: "The Northumbria Tourist Board is going to receive a pittance, and there is a need for urgent extra funding so we can get people back to this region."

Mr Sloyan said the £70,000 allocated so far had already been spent, but a £700,000 campaign, which has already been prepared, could not go ahead unless Government help was forthcoming.

l As a new case of foot-and-mouth was confirmed at Langley House, Lanchester, on Monday, fears grew nationally over the health and safety hazards of burning slaughtered carcasses. The smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals called dioxins.

Preparations were nearing completion by the busy A68 at Houghton Bank, between Darlington and Bishop Auckland, for a new pyre.

Houghton-le-Side resident John Alderson feared the smoke could create a hazard to drivers. He said: "It is only about 30 yards from the road."