Access boost for ailing tourist spots

Rural Wales has been hit heavily by the outbreak

Guidance on access to visitor attractions drawn up after the start of the foot-and-mouth crisis are to be re-drafted.

Welsh Assembly's Economic Development Minister Mike German has revealed that changes will be made in the next few days.

Crisis in Wales

Total confirmed cases UK-wide 1005 - with 57 in Wales

Powys - 35 cases

Anglesey - 13 cases

Monmouthshire - 11 cases

Addressing the economic development committee on Wednesday, he said new guidelines would reduce the "buffer zone" separating humans from livestock from 100m down to 10m.

He added that Assembly cabinet members were also planning to visit tourist attractions across the country next week, promoting giving the message that Wales was open for business.

Mr German said the Wales Tourist Board's website and telephone helpline had been extremely busy since March and claimed it to "something of a good omen".

His comments followed growing concerns about the future of tourism in Wales - and a pledge by Prime Minister Tony Blair on a visit to Wales that many parts of the countryside currently off-limits would be re-opened to the public if there was no risk of spreading foot-and-mouth.

Mr Blair had travelled to Usk in Monmouthshire and spent almost two hours listening to tourism representatives and pledged to act to re-open more parts of the countryside.

The effects on tourism were discussed by the UK government's foot-and-mouth rural crisis taskforce in London on Wednesday.

The industry in Wales has been losing millions of pounds each week since the start of the and businesses want efforts stepped up to attract visitors who are staying away because of foot-and-mouth restrictions.

Speaking before the meeting, Mr German - who is also deputy first minister - said: "If we can re-assure people and clearly see the end in sight, then I think we can look forward to visitors coming back, but it is not an easy task."

Market closures

The task force was created up by UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher to look at the effects of the outbreak and find ways of addressing problems across Britain.

Meanwhile, the impact of the foot-and-mouth crisis on livestock markets was revealed on Wednesday, with news that three would be closing in north Wales.

Auctioneers Bob Parry said the foot-and-mouth crisis had been "the final straw".

And in mid Wales, protests against a planned burial of thousands of animal carcasses at Sennybridge, mid Wales, have failed to halt the operation, with the first lorries expected to arrive at the site in the next 24 hours.

Union evidence

The mass operation had been delayed after police sealed off the main road as a crime scene, following an incident in which a man drove a digger over a police van.

Steven Andrew Morgan, 27, from Llandovery, has been charged with the attempted murder of PC John Stone, who suffered minor injuries.

FUW deputy president Glyn Powell has told residents at nearby Trecastle - who have also staged protests - that his union had evidence that up to one million carcasses could be buried on the Epynt ranges.

Mr Powell said the disposal operation could go on for months.

Lab samples

Fears that the rivers Towy, Usk and Wye could be polluted by the burial of carcasses could be taken up with the European Union, he added.

The assembly has denied the NFU's figures of 1m animals, stating the pits would hold just 180,000 carcasses. But a pit of a similar size could be dug on the ranges.

In north Wales, MAFF has confirmed laboratory tests on samples from three confirmed cases have come back negative.

A spokesperson said on site clinical tests showed definite signs of the disease and the anomaly has been blamed on low levels of virus in the samples sent for analysis.

National Assembly for Wales foot-and-mouth helpline 02920 825572