one of the region's museums has decided to reopen, despite the continuing crisis.

The committee which runs Beamish Open Air Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, made its decision yesterday following advice from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The museum will reopen on April 7.

Visitors will have their footwear disinfected and cars will also have to be disinfected. The museum's farm, named Home Farm, will remain closed, as will its two stables.

The museum's acting director, John Gall, called on the Government to provide stabilisation funding for tourism centres during the crisis.

He said: "We made our decision after considering the fact that we employ 200 people directly and another 400 people are also dependent on us for their jobs.

"We would expect to take about £300,000 a month until July, when it rises to £400,000, and August, when it rises to about £640,000.

"We don't know how much less that will be during this outbreak. Obviously, we are very concerned at the current situation."

He said that the museum had lost about £40,000 since it closed at the beginning of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Meanwhile, nearby tourism-based Hall Hill Farm, between the infected area of Satley and Lanchester, will remain closed.