HOPES were growing last night that an end to the foot-and-mouth crisis is in sight after the Government's chief scientific advisor said the outbreak was finally "flattening out".

Professor David King's said improved culling times had fuelled hopes that the virus was finally being brought under control.

"The flattening out of the epidemic has now been confirmed, and the data even shows a possible downward trend since the end of March," he said.

Maff yesterday moved to dispel rumours that culling would be halted for Easter. A Government spokesman in the North-East said: "The virus won't be taking a break for Easter and neither will we."

Two new cases were reported in County Durham yesterday - at Hauxley Farm, Great Stainton, where 685 sheep were condemned, the first confirmed within Darlington borough, and at Fairview Farm in Evenwood Gate, where farmer Andrew Gibson accused a census official of risking the spread of the disease by visiting on Tuesday.

"She obviously didn't bring it here because we had it already, but there is a chance she is carrying the disease everywhere else she has been," he said. "That form should have been posted."

Crowds gathered again yesterday afternoon outside the former Inkerman opencast site at Tow Law, where villagers have vowed to continue their peaceful protest every day until they get assurances on their health worries. Work is under way preparing the site for the disposal of 120,000 carcasses.

And in Middleton-in-Teesdale, farmer Maurice Dickeson continued his determined stand to stay in his family home - despite police warnings to leave because of rumours linking him to the spread of the disease.

Reports - Page 8