SUICIDAL North-East farmers are turning to telephone help-lines in droves to get them through the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Thousands of calls have flooded into the Farm Crisis Network (FCN) helpline, and volunteers fear suicides could rise as the outbreak continues.

The number of people ringing County Durham and Darlington Health Authority's rural helpline has doubled, prompting the launch of a freephone number.

The authority's director of public health, Dr John Woodhouse, said: "Longstanding problems are now compounded by social isolation, which is increasing the pressures and stresses on our farmers, and on our rural communities in general.''

The Reverend Eleanor Reddington, FCN's line coordinator for Northumberland and County Durham, said: "Some of the farmers are very desperate, and it is only a short step from there to being suicidal.

"It has been one more crisis on top of another or on top of several. I know that some are suicidal, and sadly I think the number of suicides might go up.''

Polls have already recorded that the profession is a high risk for people taking their own lives. Volunteers are working extra hours to keep the lines open longer, to cope with the crisis. It is usually manned from 7pm to 10pm.

The clergywoman said: "Some of the phone calls have come after an announcement has been made, and people from that area want to know exactly where it is and how close to home it is.

"It is meeting a tremendous need at the moment. I certainly think for the duration of the foot-and-mouth crisis the number of calls will continue to increase.

" I can quite understand why farmers are feeling like this, especially those in the more rural areas. For the whole farming community, it is just one straw too many.''

A spokeswoman for Darlington Samaritans said that farmers were also turning to them for help. She said: "The farmers are a bigger risk for suicides as they have the means to do it. But we always say we are here to help both them and their families.''

Numbers to call

Farm Crisis Network: 07002 326326

County Durham and Darlington Rural Helpline: 0800 085 7034

Samaritans: 08457 90909