FARMERS hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis say they are facing the added strain of waiting weeks for their compensation.

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (Maff), which has already paid out more than £12m, has assured farmers they will be compensated for their slaughtered livestock within five to seven days.

But many in the North-East have already waited two weeks for their money and could face longer delays as the administrative burden increases on Maff.

Rob Simpson, National Farmers' Union spokesman for the North-East, said that while they recognised the administrative pressure Maff was under, the Government had still committed itself to paying the money within seven days.

"They should add any necessary resources to stick to it consistently," he said.

"These are people without any income whatsoever and they need that money for all sorts of things - including food in some situations. They need it as quickly as possible."

Billy Robson, who farms 1,000 acres at Tow Law and Edmondsley, in County Durham, has been waiting a fortnight for his compensation. He had 700 sheep and 350 beef cattle slaughtered after the disease was confirmed.

"I never take any notice of what the Government says," he said.

Maff has changed the rules on the valuation of animals in a bid to speed up the whole process.

Farmers can now choose to be paid a flat fee instead of wasting time waiting for a price for each animal before it is slaughtered.

A spokesman for Maff said the compensation claims sometimes took time because there were queries over valuation, but he said they did respond to most claims within a week.

Farmers face years of work to restock and rebuild their businesses.

Colin and Vivien Whitfield, of Tow Law, County Durham, have been told they can only restock their 400 sheep and 670 beef cattle six months after the last outbreak occurs in the county.

But they say it will take five years before they reach anywhere near the same number of cattle that were slaughtered.