THE departure of the North's head foot-and-mouth coordinator has left villagers fuming about the Government's lack of continuity.

Residents of Tow Law, County Durham, thought they had found an ally at the Newcastle Disease Emergency Control Centre, in Kenton Barr, when Gordon Kingston was appointed.

Now they say they are having to start again as it was announced the centre's chief is moving on after just two months.

Town councillor Sid Worgan said it was a kick in the teeth to the villagers, who are protesting about a mass burial site nearby.

He said: "He would speak to you and he was frank. Now we will probably return to lies, lies and more lies."

But a Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said it was always intended that Mr Kingston would be in the job for two months.

He said: "He is returning to his job as rural director in the Yorkshire and Humberside area."

He will be replaced by John Bradbury who was Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries regional director for the region before his retirement in January.