THE end of the foot-and-mouth epidemic could be within sight, according to a leading agriculture expert.

David Harvey, professor of agricultural economics at Newcastle University, said the outbreak, which started four months ago, could be beaten in four to six weeks.

His forecast came as the Government eased movement restrictions on livestock, designed to halt the spread of foot-and-mouth.

A total of 4.5m animals have been slaughtered since the outbreak began, including 262,000 in North Yorkshire, 124,000 in County Durham, 145,000 in Northumberland and 3,000 in Cleveland.

Prof Harvey said the signs were that the disease was on the wane, despite a spate of cases in North Yorkshire.

He said: "It is my guess that we have probably got another four to six weeks before we see the last of it.

"It has been evident for some time that there was a fairly substantial and undetected infection in the sheep flock, and that is still materialising. It is going to take us a while to cull out the sheep."

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Margaret Beckett told the House of Commons yesterday that the drop in the number of new cases meant movement restrictions could be relaxed.

Moving livestock within infected areas will be permitted under licence, for slaughter in abattoirs outside infected areas. On welfare grounds, cattle and pigs from outside infected areas can be moved under licence into provisionally disease-free areas.

Mrs Beckett said the Government was also looking to revoke the blanket closure of footpaths, in favour of a more selective policy.

Ben Gill, president of the National Farmers' Union, welcomed the decision to ease restrictions, but said risk prevention measures should continue to be observed.

He said: "Tempting as it is to believe we are beginning to get the disease on the run, none of us can allow ourselves to fall victim to complacency."

Mrs Beckett told the Commons she intended to hold an inquiry into the outbreak, which was now at an average of four or five new cases a day, compared with 40 at the height of the epidemic

Read more about the foot and mouth crisis here.