A FARMERS' group is calling for the same restrictions on lamb as are in place for beef, in light of new fears that sheep could have BSE.

Pat Walker, of the North Yorkshire Smallholders' Society, said that after hearing about the possibility of BSE in lamb and the risk to 150,000 people, she feels more should be done to bolster consumer confidence.

"This constant scaremongering is killing agriculture and the UK livestock market and some effort should be made to gain the confidence of the customer, not drive them away," she said.

"I suggest we put the same restrictions on sheep as we do on beef before entering the food chain.

"There is no evidence as yet to show that BSE can be found in sheep, but, as some perceive that this is a possibility, then we should adopt the same regime as we do with beef and totally remove the spinal cord, thus rendering the meat safe for human consumption."

Mrs Walker also said that European countries should have to comply with the stringent regulations facing UK farmers.

"We should ban any country from exporting to the UK, meat that contains spinal cord," she said