FARMERS were today reeling after three more cases of foot and mouth disease were confirmed in the Vale of York.

They brought the total number of cases in North Yorkshire to more than 100.

The announcement of the outbreaks near Thirsk, and another two at Lealholm, near Whitby, has left farmers fearing that the area's vital pig and dairy communities could be a step away from disaster.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh today spoke of a "climate of anguish and fear" among the area's farming community.

She said: "People fear that it is only a matter of time before these acres of farming and rare breeds become exposed.

"I am still extremely alarmed by the reopening of footpaths across North Yorkshire, and believe that cannot help this terrible situation."

Miss McIntosh has now written to agriculture minister Margaret Beckett to outline her fears.

She said the priorities were to get the infected animals slaughtered as quickly as possible, and to give rapid compensation to farmers.

Mrs Beckett's ministry, DEFRA, confirmed that it is considering setting up a control centre at Northallerton to give its vets a staging post in the battle to contain the disease.

A spokeswoman for DEFRA said the idea was not a response to the Thirsk flare-up, but a contingency plan with no definite timescale.

The new cases near Thirsk were confirmed on land owned by AD Guthe, of Kepwick Mill, at Leake Lane, Little Leake; at West Acre Farm at Boltby, owned by ES Swinbank; and at Piper Hill, Cowesby, owned by EP Woodhead & Son.

The latest cases at Lealholm were confirmed at Painsthorp Wald Farm, Wilks Farm, owned by DA Stuart and H Paul, and at Fryup End Farm, owned by RD & ED Bainbridge.

The cases bring the North Yorkshire total to 101.

National Farmers' Union spokesman Rob Simpson said: "The concern is now very much for the pig farming community in the Vale of York.

"Pigs are 3,000 times more infectious than sheep, so the situation really is grim."

Meanwhile, the General Synod of the Church of England, meeting for its annual parliament at the University of York, has voted to call for a public inquiry into foot and mouth.

Members said the crisis had been allowed to slip off the national agenda.

Lay member Martin Dales, of Old Malton, who represents North Yorkshire at the Synod, said: "We wanted to use the great strength of voice of the Church of England to call for a public inquiry."

The motion was carried unanimously by 394 voters.

Updated: 11:12 Monday, July 09, 2001