New restrictions on footpaths in the City of York have been announced as part of the continuing fight against foot and mouth disease.

And North Yorkshire County Council announced today it will also restrict access to some paths - including some that had been recently reopened.

As reported in the Evening Press earlier this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs hope to create a disease-free 'buffer zone' between Thirsk - where there has been a cluster of recent cases - and East Yorkshire.

East Yorkshire is seen as the centre of Britain's pig industry and would be devastated by an outbreak of foot and mouth.

To help create the buffer zone, officials say, the paths have to be closed.

About 20 paths are affected in York and are primarily in the Haxby, Wigginton and Strensall areas, or those that involve contact with livestock.

Roy Templeman, director of environment and development services, said: "We will be working closely with colleagues in North Yorkshire to carry out risk assessments on a limited number of footpaths in the area identified for intensive action to the north of the city."

The closures are expected to be in place by the end of this week.

In North Yorkshire, a council spokesman said: "There is an area around Thirsk which needs to be addressed and we are looking at it. "Unfortunately some paths that have been reopened will be shut again, something we accept could be confusing and will create some problems for people in the area or those visiting it.

"However, the current situation means this course of action is necessary and appropriate. We expect to be able to make an announcement later today."

Meanwhile, Ministers are to look into allegations of abuse of the foot-and-mouth compensation system, it emerged today.

Concerns have been raised that livestock valuers and farmers have colluded to increase the value of animals culled during the crisis, a national newspaper has reported.

The Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs said it was "looking at the situation very carefully".

The news comes just days after claims Prime Minister Tony Blair had suspended the clean-up of affected farms amid concern over escalating costs.

Updated: 09:27 Wednesday, July 25, 2001