THE latest North-East businessman to fall victim to the foot-and-mouth crisis believes the disease is being carried by wildlife.

Quarryman Jeffrey Allison, who owns Low Harperley Farm, at Fir Tree, near Crook, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, has called for deer from nearby Hamsterley Forest to be culled and investigated.

He said: "I have not bought any sheep. I have not been trading, and I have had no other sheep near these animals, not even in adjacent fields.

"It is my view that a few of the deer that come out of the forest should be culled and checked, because everybody will get it."

Mr Allison's farm is next to the police forensic training centre at Harperley Hall, which runs courses for scenes-of-crime investigators from all over the world.

Last night, a Durham police spokeswoman said that restrictions had been in place at the centre since the outbreak began.

She said: "Restrictions were put into place straight away after the outbreak and training has not been carried out on agricultural land.

"We are discussing further measures in that area at the moment, which will be put into place very quickly."

Mr Allison also has cattle on his land, but, despite the fact that they have shown no signs of suffering from the disease, they too will be destroyed.

He said: "I think this is very serious throughout the country. The logistics of handling it are going to be enormous and everybody who has got it will have enormous organisation problems about what they are going to do throughout this year.

"It is another disaster. I am now following Maff (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) legislation - that is all anybody can do.

"What is important in my case is that these sheep were not in contact with any other animals.

"It is a matter of urgency that it is decided what is transporting it. In my view, it is either birds, deer or other wildlife."