TOURISM chiefs are to hold talks with farmers' leaders and Government officials today to try to open some footpaths.

The move is aimed at ending the widespread ban on walking or cycling in the countryside, in place since the early days of the epidemic.

It comes as an MP for one of the hardest-hit areas has called for more cash to fund a marketing campaign to attract visitors back to rural areas.

Peter Sloyan, chief executive of Northumbria Tourist Board, will meet National Farmers' Union and Ministry of Agriculture officials today in an attempt to make progress on reopening the countryside.

He said: "We need to get people not just to museums and country houses but actually walking again, although we do not want it to compromise the farmers."

He said a prime candidate for re-opening was the walk to High Force waterfall, in Teesdale, County Durham.

"If we get that open, we have got a chance of saving Middleton-in-Teesdale," he said.

"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.

He said: "We need more money so we can kick-start the tourism industry - every day that passes, businesses are becoming more vulnerable."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture said the Government had allocated £6m for tourism nationwide and was looking at whether more money would be made available.