RETIRED Thirsk vet, Mr Jim Wight, son of Mr Alf Wight, alias author James Herriot, has come out of retirement to help a farming family tackle the threat of foot-and-mouth.

Mr Wight agreed to undertake 48-hour surveillance on the Felixkirk farm run by Mr Robin Bosomworth and his son, Trevor, after the holding was served with a D-form because it was within 3km of infected premises.

The Bosomworths also hoped the involvement of the James Herriot name would raise national awareness that the disease had not gone away.

"We are very concerned that the national media appears to think the crisis is over," said Mr Trevor Bosomworth. "Jim Wight was involved in the 1967 outbreak as a junior vet and there are not many vets who have dealt with both outbreaks."

Mr Wight said: "It is one of the biggest crises facing British farming - it is a horror story. I came out of retirement because I felt everybody had to help."