Farmers' guns taken 'for their safety'

Tony Blair brought in the army in Devon

Devon's senior police officer has revealed that shotguns were taken from depressed farmers during the height of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Sir John Evans made the disclosure during the public inquiry into the disease in Devon - he also criticised the government handling of the epidemic.

Sir John, Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, said his officers acted as counsellors to farmers who were cut off by movement restrictions.

In a few cases, he said, police took awaylicensed shotguns from farmers because they were worried about their safety.

Sir John Evans "wanted to take charge"

Sir John also said the government's contingency plan for a foot-and-mouth outbreak was more than 30 years out of date.

He told the inquiry panel at Exeter: "The policeman in me wanted to take control of the crisis."

Police were in charge of controlling the disease during Britain's last epidemic, in 1967.

This time they stood watch outside the farms but had to leave the strategic command to the government.

Sir John said: "They need to get better at developing contingency plans and exercising those contingency plans in the areas they are likely to be put into use.

"The central government plans didn't look to me like they had been updated since the last major outbreak."

Sir John said the outbreak cost his force almost £3.5m in extra costs and overtime.