WITH the foot-and-mouth epidemic expected to continue into the summer, hundreds of rural County Durham businesses are struggling to cope.

A4E's Business Link County Durham is aware of the difficulties and is committed to providing support for any companies experiencing trading difficulties as a result.

The crisis affecting the farming community is well documented, but other businesses are indirectly affected, and many may not survive the next few months.

Business Link County Durham is helping local companies tackle the situation with a seminars on cash flow management, business diversification, marketing, short-term job opportunities and debt management.

John Atkinson, business improvement consultant at Business Link County Durham, said: "The tourist industry in County Durham is valued at £170m and 80 per cent of the county is rural.

"This means that foot-and- mouth is a huge problem for local businesses, and we are working hard to address the situation. Farms and agricultural businesses are the obvious victims of this epidemic, but other enterprises are suffering.

"Traders in Middleton in Teesdale have reported a 50 per cent decline in tourists since the epidemic began, while Stanhope, in the Wear Valley, is suffering a 60 per cent loss of visitors.

"A number of rural pubs and restaurants are reporting a significant downturn in trade and have been forced to lay off staff, not only because of a diminishing tourist trade, but also because local customers are isolated by the epidemic."

"The situation will not just go away. We are compiling a weekly report on the effects of foot-and-mouth on the local economy, that is fed into the national picture, because Business Link provides local companies with a voice at the heart of government.

"Business Link is helping people generate ideas for surviving the next few months, and offering practical support with major issues such as cash-flow management. We aim to link people with opportunities for generating alternative sources of income."

l Business Link County Durham is on 0191-374 4000.