NATIONAL Farmers' Union president Ben Gill was due to meet Agriculture Minister Nick Brown yesterday to discuss the spread of foot-and-mouth disease across Britain.

Mr Gill, an Easingwold farmer, said the outbreak would 'send a chill through farmers everywhere.'

He said he would be talking to Mr Brown about problems being experienced on farms, such as the disposal of fallen stock.

Although no cases had been confirmed in the county yesterday, life in the North Yorkshire countryside was badly affected.

With a ban on all livestock transport and all auction marts closed, the farming community could only wait and see how the situation unfolded in the county. Emergency checks were being carried out at farms across the region.

Ramblers and horse-riders were being asked to stay off farmland, and events were being cancelled.