NORTH Yorkshire has finally been confirmed as foot and mouth disease free, prompting farmers' leaders to speak of hopes for better times ahead in 2002.

The all-clear was officially given at the stroke of the New Year, after massive testing programmes in all counties that were still classed as "at risk" from the disease.

Nafees Meah, regional operations director for rural ministry DEFRA, said: "This is the best New Year present we could give to farmers and the rural community. This is the day a lot of people in Yorkshire have been waiting for."

Derek Watson, the National Farmers' Union county chairman for North Yorkshire, said he now hoped farmers across the county could put 2001 behind them.

He told the Evening Press: "There is a lot of work still to be done, but this is tremendous news.

"Let's hope that any further change is for the good of the industry and the people whose lives depend on it.

"If there is one good thing to come out of last year, it is that the restrictions reminded people how important farming is to the countryside. I hope that understanding can continue to grow through 2002."

Of Yorkshire's 140 confirmed foot and mouth cases, 134 were in North Yorkshire. The county's first case was confirmed on a farm at Hawes, in the Dales, on March 7, the last at Lythe, near Whitby, on August 18. Only Northumberland is yet to be confirmed as disease free.

In a New Year message, NFU president Ben Gill said Britain would have to close the door on diseases from abroad.

Mr Gill, who farms near Easingwold, said the despair caused by foot and mouth will dominate memories of 2001.

Meanwhile, organisers of a North Yorkshire sheep fair which had to recruit "fake sheep" because of the crisis today confirmed the event had raised more cash than ever before.

Locals in Masham feared the town's famous Sheep Fair would bite the dust after the cancellation of most of the county's agricultural shows. But instead, they decided to use home-made stand-in models. About 60 fake sheep turned up, each with a collection bucket to raise money for crisis-hit farmers.

The event, held in September, raised £8,000 for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute.

Organiser Susan Cunliffe-Lister said: "We were delighted when we did our figures and saw we had made more money than we do with our real sheep.

"We had had a very depressing year, so I think people were keen to come out and support the farming community."

One of the most popular entries was that of the town's Black Sheep Brewery, which dispensed samples of beer to passers-by.

Updated: 10:35 Wednesday, January 02, 2002