THE foot-and-mouth epidemic continued to spread last night as five new cases - including one in the North-East - were confirmed.

The discoveries by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods (Maff) took the total number of affected farms across the UK to 74.

The most significant discovery of the disease was at a farm bordering Dartmoor National Park, in Devon, where 50,000 cattle graze on common land.

The potential for the disease to have spread to the cattle leading to an enforced mass slaughter operation was described as a "nightmare scenario" by south-west regional National Farmers' Union director Anthony Gibson.

The Dunna Bridge Farm is owned by the Prince of Wales' Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Prince Charles said: "It is an absolute nightmare, particularly as they have spent much of their lives building up a pedigree herd. A lot of real difficulties are being experienced by farmers and leading to complications like suicide."

While the disease continued to take hold in some areas, the Government said unaffected farms could transport their animals to slaughterhouses under close supervision.

The British Horseracing Board and Jockey Club announced last night that racing in unaffected areas would resume tomorrow.

And there are hopes that the outbreak may soon be under control as all but one of the confirmed outbreaks were conclusively linked to diseased animals elsewhere.

Five new cases - at farms in Bishop Auckland, County Durham; Hatherleigh, Devon; Highampton, Devon; St Weonards, Herefordshire; and near Beattock, Dumfries and Galloway - were believed to be linked to previous cases.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown said measures were in place to start moving unaffected cattle, sheep and pigs to abattoirs, while slaughtering was already under way in parts of Scotland.