AGRICULTURAL show bosses have been presented with the messy problem of getting rid of piles of cattle dung under tough new Government rules aimed at preventing a flare-up of foot-and-mouth.

Bio-security measures which ban cow pats from places on showgrounds where visitors might walk, could mean organisers have to recruit teams of overall-clad helpers armed with buckets, shovels and pooper-scoopers for a giant clean up.

Durham County Show, on July 13 and 14, has already cancelled its cattle classes partly due to the rules. The farming community was also 'not ready' to return to showing, said secretary Christine Duke.

Gordon Dobson, who organises Britain's oldest show as secretary of the Wolsingham and Wear Valley Agricultural Society, said: "People will abide by the regulations. Nobody wants foot-and-mouth back, least of all the farmers."

Horses are not included in the measures, which apply to the areas where cattle are penned and the route taken by the animals from their stalls to the show ring.

Members of the public will be forbidden to touch susceptible animals and cattle must be isolated for 20 days after attending a show.

Some shows have appealed to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for the controls to be relaxed and the first of several reviews is already planned next month. But the Great Yorkshire Show, the North's biggest annual agricultural event, will go ahead as planned on July 9, 10 and 11.

Despite the tough restrictions, the Great Yorkshire is hoping for its usual 1,000 cattle exhibits. A spokesperson said: "We have employed extra staff for hosing down vehicles and whatever other measures need to be taken, we will take.

"There has never been any question whatsoever of cancelling this year's show. The farming community has had a dreadful time and this is an opportunity for farmers and country people to come together and wave the flag for British agriculture."