Twenty independent museums joined forces to launch a major poster publicity campaign yesterday in the latest push to revitalise North Yorkshire's devastated tourism trade.

The posters are based on a jigsaw design, to demonstrate unity among the museums - and the tourism industry as a whole - during the foot and mouth crisis.

They will be pasted up all over Ryedale and Hambleton, with the aim of getting the message across that 'North Yorkshire is open for business' in time for the crucial Easter weekend.

The campaign was launched at Ryedale Folk Museum, at Hutton-le-Hole, by Ryedale MP John Greenway.

He said: "It is a great idea. People are looking to come and visit the countryside but think they can't because of negative messages and images on their television screens.

"But they can come to the countryside - as long as they don't want to go tramping across the moors - and a visit to a museum makes an excellent day out.

"This campaign highlights the fact there are any number of activities you can enjoy at a museum - and the market town it is situated in or near to."

Folk Museum curator Martin Watts said all aspects of the tourism trade were in the crisis together, so they should work together to tackle it.

It was hoped that that level of unity would be symbolised by the posters, he said.

"We need as much publicity as possible to let people know that we are here, open for business and are welcoming visitors through the doors.

"We are down on visitor numbers, though it is impossible to say how hard we have been hit yet.

"What we do know is that the Easter weekend is critical and we hope to see some effects from this campaign by then, even though it is just a couple of days away."

Mr Watts also had praise for urban residents during the crisis.

He added: "People from towns are often criticised by countryside dwellers for not understanding the country and such like, but their attitude has been first-class.

"They have been very concerned not to spread the disease and have been ringing us constantly to ask what precautions they should take."

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that £200,000 has been allocated to the Yorkshire Tourist Board to help revitalise the trade.

But it was criticised as being "peanuts, nowhere near enough," by Mr Greenway.

He said: "The ETC asked for £10m. They have been given £4m. It is not enough and people are going to go out of business"

Updated: 16:35 Thursday, April 12, 2001