Regional updates

The bank holiday weekend will prove to be a crucial test of how far the government's message that foot-and-mouth disease is on the decline. Tourist businesses throughout the country are optimistic that visitors will flock back to Britain's hard hit rural communities.

Cumbria

Devon and Cornwall

North-East England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Europe

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Throughout the UK there have been more then 1500 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth. England is the worst affected country with much of the countryside still out of bounds.

As Cumbria experiences a slowing down of foot-and-mouth there are now fears that the southern dairy herd may yet be affected. As the BBC's Gordon Swindlehurst explains, any major spread would put further pressure on rendering plants already stretched to capacity.

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This week has been the best yet in Devon with only five new cases since last Saturday. Although it appears that the foot-and-mouth crisis is drawing to a close, MAFF is urging people to be vigilant as the BBC's Ellie Pool reports.

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In north-east England, plans to transport exhumed animal carcasses past a school have been changed after a public outcry over the distress it may have caused the children. Meanwhile, a 'countryside market' is taking place on Sunday as a means of helping local producers to rebuild their businesses. The BBC's Chris Hodder reports.

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The slowdown in the number of foot-and-mouth cases in Scotland is continuing and pre-emptive culling is nearing completion. Signs that the crisis is abating comes with the opening of Dumfries's most popular woodland as the BBC's Colin Colthart reports.

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Snowdonia is open for business. This is the message being sent out on Friday after a decision to open four out of six paths to Snowdon's summit. But the authorities are not taking any chances as the BBC's Roger Pinney reports.

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More than a third of Northern Ireland's hotels and guest houses are fighting for survival after seeing their business decimated by the foot-and-mouth outbreak, according to a survey published Thursday. Meanwhile, the fight to contain foot-and-mouth in Ireland has become more focused. Last week police on both sides of the border stepped up operations against livestock smugglers. The BBC's Kevin Connolly reports.

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Click here for a full list of farms affected by foot-and- mouth disease