Relatives of all 23 British victims of CJD are calling for a judicial inquiry into the disease as meat eaters rush to snap up beef-on-the-bone before it is banned.

Butchers all over Britain are reporting soaring demand for beef-on-the-bone - in spite of fears that it may be linked to CJD, the human form of "mad cow" disease.

Customers are stocking up for Christmas, although the Agriculture Minister, Jack Cunningham, intends to make sale of the meat illegal from December 16th. The ban will be preceded by a consultation period ending on December 12th.

The government is also pledging to hold an inquiry into the crisis. However, relatives of CJD victims want more action. They went to the Prime Minister's residence, 10 Downing Street to present a petition calling for a judicial inquiry into the disease.

One member of the relative's delegation, Frances Hall, is critical of butchers and farmers who are attacking the beef-on-the-bone ban: "They haven't lost loved ones like we have. They have lost money. I would swap places with any of them. They can stand where I am standing and I will take their share of suffering."

However, Joe Collier, owner of Eastwoods Butchers in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, is saying the ban is too unpopular to take effect: "Most people think the whole thing is ludicrous and are very angry about it, and say they want to go on eating beef-on-the-bone."

Certain cuts of beef have already been withdrawn from supermarkets

He called beef-eating a "part of the British heritage. People think of roast beef as ribs of beef. I don't think the ban will be allowed to happen, I think sheer public pressure will stop it."

Gordon Hepburn, the National Chairman of the Guild of Q Butchers, said Dr Cunningham should reconsider the ban.

He said that his shop had "orders next week for oxtails and ribs - people want beef-on-the-bone. They're quite happy to take them for Christmas.

"This is happening for no apparent reason, there's no logic to it. If he's saying the bone is not right, I would suggest the rest of the animal ought to be condemned as well."

The supermarket chain Asda, which had discontinued its only two bone-in lines - Scotland matured roast ribs and oxtail - when the new alert was raised, said overall beef sales were up. Demand for ribs was up 15% week on week, mince by 10% and topside by 13%.

Tesco and Sainsbury's refused to comment, saying it was too early to tell whether sales had been affected.

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