What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott reviews Friday morning's newspapers for BBC Northern Ireland.

The Express reports this morning that the Prince of Wales predicted the foot and mouth crisis as long ago as last year when he attacked the mass closure of local abattoirs.

The paper says the Royal Family has closed all its estates to prevent the spread of the disease.

There are more pictures in the local papers of cross-border traffic being disinfected at entrance points into the Republic.

But there are warnings that it may come too late to prevent catastrophic damage to the Celtic Tiger economy.

The Fine Gael TD Alan Dukes writes in the Irish Independent that an outbreak in the Republic would affect export markets for a long time, even after the "all clear" was given.

Questions to be asked

The paper itself attacks the Irish Government for failing to act quickly enough when the illness was first discovered in Britain.

It also says there are serious questions to answer on the subject of smuggling and other associated fraud.

The Irish Times takes a similar line, arguing that Ireland depended too much on the British Ministry of Agriculture to protect the national interest in the early days of the crisis.

The Irish News says there have been reports that animals have been moved within this island without the regulations being fully observed.

The paper says it is essential that the authorities uncover all the circumstances surrounding the outbreak at a farm in south Armagh, and ensure that it is an isolated incident.

World's biggest claim?

The News Letter casts doubt on the restrictions in the area. It reports that, two days after the first alert, cars and tractors were still travelling on minor roads near the farm without being challenged.

The London-based papers all have pictures of Gary Hart, the man whose Land Rover caused the rail crash in Yorkshire.

The Times reports that Mr Hart's insurers could be facing the world's biggest motor insurance claim of £2 billion.

Simon Jenkins, writing in the same paper, comments that newsrooms across the land were at a loss yesterday, because the tragedy appeared to be the result of a freak accident.

What's the point, he wonders, in setting up five separate inquiries into something that occurred as a million-to-one chance?

Eerie sound of mobiles

The answer, he says, is that people in the UK have been lulled into a culture of blame. He says it has created a monstrous army of officials, inspectors, inquirers and lawyers.

The Guardian concentrates on the scene of the accident, and reports that the wrecked train is still echoing with the eerie sound of mobile phones ringing with no-one to answer them.

Both Belfast papers are angry over the sectarian abuse directed at footballer Neil Lennon at Windsor Park on Wednesday night.

The Irish News describes those responsible as "foul-mouthed morons", and comments that, unless there's a firm response to the bigots, there will be a question mark over the whole future of international soccer at Windsor Park.

The News Letter comments that Ulster soccer is in a bad way, and it is on the road to nowhere if it is perceived to be inherently sectarian.

NI's loss

Neil Lennon is a talented young man, says the paper, and he'll go on to achieve great things in football, whether he plays for Northern Ireland or not.

If he's forced out, it will be Northern Ireland's loss.

Finally, The Daily Telegraph reports on the not-so-solemn investiture of Spike Milligan, who received an honorary knighthood at St James' Palace yesterday.

The ceremony was performed by his old friend Prince Charles.

Half way through, Milligan asked the Prince if he was aware that there were no dry cleaners in Peru.

After that, says the paper, keeping a straight face was out of the question.