FARMERS were on a knife-edge today after the first tests on a suspected case of foot and mouth disease in North Yorkshire proved negative.

A farm at Hawnby, between Helmsley and Thirsk, was sealed off, and livestock movements banned within a five-mile radius yesterday after a vet found lesions in the mouths of two sheep.

The farms which supplied the sheep, understood to be in the Malton, Bossall, Helmsley and Hawnby areas, have been placed under restriction while they undergo a thorough inspection.

The two sheep were slaughtered as a precaution, and samples sent for urgent analysis.

The first results came back this morning with no sign of the disease.

Now farmers and tourist leaders are facing an agonising wait for further tests to be completed over the next four days before they know if the spectre of foot and mouth disease, with all its terrible implications for farming and rural tourism, is to return to North Yorkshire.

The UK was given the all-clear in mid-January.

Rosie Dunn, vice-chairman of the York County branch of the National Farmers' Union, said the whole farming industry would be extremely relieved at the initial results.

"It's a case of so far, so good," she said. "I'm absolutely delighted. We shall have to wait for the final results but I am sure they will confirm what we expected - and that's a negative. We will all breath a huge sigh of relief."

Ryedale MP John Greenway, whose constituency includes the farm, said: "If the initial results are confirmed, this is extremely good news.

"However, we must remain cautious in the meantime."

The suspected cases are believed to be at Mount Pleasant Farm, and neighbouring St Agnes Farm, owned by J Garbutt Farms.

Robin Garbutt, who runs the farms, said: "Of course we're concerned, but bearing in minds that 90 per cent of suspected cases are negative, we're still optimistic."

The NFU's regional spokesman, Rob Simpson, said the lesions in sheep mouths could be caused by a range of other problems, including sheep eating gorse.

The farm originally had 145 cattle and 2,010 sheep, but these were all destroyed last August when a neighbouring farm contracted foot and mouth.

The farm was later cleaned and disinfected, and under the restocking process it received a number of animals which were inspected on a regular basis.

Animal Welfare Minister Elliot Morley said: "We must take no chances with this very infectious disease. The department thoroughly investigates all suspect cases, precautionary measures are put in place and we stand ready to take immediate action if the tests show positive.

"This suspect case underlines the need for farmers and vets to remain vigilant during the restocking period and during the lambing season, and to maintain high standards of biosecurity."

His colleague, Lord Whitty, visiting the Central Science Laboratories at Sand Hutton today, told the Evening Press: "Obviously, so far it's good news."

He said that if the cases were confirmed, it would mean the introduction of substantial restrictions in the region and possibly some national measures as well.

It is thought that if the cases were confirmed, it could also lead to Britain losing its disease-free status within the European Union.

Updated: 11:43 Wednesday, February 27, 2002