VETS and farmers should contact the Newcastle Disease Emergency Control Centre (NDECC) instead of regional Maff centres if they wish to apply for licence applications to move vehicles, machinery or people within infected areas in the North-East.

The NDECC can be contacted on 0191-214 5011.

Farmers wishing to move livestock in infected areas should still contact Maff in Carlisle, on (01288) 640235 or 640276, if they live in Northumberland or Tyne and Wear.

If they live in County Durham or Cleveland they should contact Maff in Northallerton, on (01609) 773751.

Other helplines include:

l The Rural Stress Information Network, on 0247 6412916 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm);

l Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, for financial assistance, on (01865) 727888 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm);

l Farm Crisis Network, for practical support, on (07002) 326326 (7pm to 10pm);

l The Samaritans, on (08457) 909090;

l Rural Emergency Citizens' Advice Bureau offers free, confidential advice on (0800) 1381647