ONE in 20 farms across the North-East and North Yorkshire has been affected by foot-and-mouth, according to figures obtained by The Northern Echo.

Farmers' leaders say the figures show the scale of the devastation wreaked by the disease, even though it disguises the effect in particularly hard-hit areas.

And a new hotspot has emerged - Settle in North Yorkshire, where 17 cases have now been confirmed and almost 70,000 animals already slaughtered.

Maff's figures for the North-East showed that, up until yesterday, there had been 156 infected premises and another 383 premises where animals had been killed after they were classified as dangerous contacts. Livestock at another 27 premises have been slaughtered on suspicion of having the disease, bringing the total to 566.

So far, 112,442 animals on infected premises have been slaughtered, plus 153,169 on premises classed as dangerous contacts and 8,897 culled on suspicion, a total of 274,508.

A spokesman for the NFU in the North-East said there were an estimated 12,000 farms in the region, meaning about one in 20 had been affected.

"Even this hides the fact there are pockets in more localised areas. In Settle, around a third of the farms are being taken out," he said.

Despite Government claims the epidemic is on the decline, a rash of cases has been confirmed around Settle, with 17 infected premises and 65 classed as dangerous contacts, and 69,000 animals culled or earmarked for slaughter.

Steve Hunter, Maff director of operations for Yorkshire and the Humber, said up to 200 personnel had now been drafted in to deal with the outbreak.