CHARRED remains of thousands of animals are to be removed from a field after funeral pyres failed to destroy the carcasses.

Maff yesterday(fri) admitted it was concerned over the health risks of the failure to burn the livestock, which has left bones, skin and wool among the ashes, a month after the pyre was first lit.

Now officials said the only solution is to abandon the pyre and instead complete the burning in an Army incinerator.

The pyre, at Tunstall near Richmond in North Yorkshire, was lit over the Easter weekend, to dispose of more than 2,000 sheep, 700 cattle and almost 500 pigs, culled as part of efforts to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth.

But the pyre failed to burn properly, despite repeated attempts, leaving Maff officials baffled.

A spokesman said: "It is not that unusual for a pyre not to burn at the first or second attempt, but it is unusual for it not to burn properly at all, like it did in this case.

"We're not really sure why, it may be something to do with the coal we were using, and we're now looking at the options of what to do with the stuff that is left."

He said there had been some attempt to separate the ash from the solid animal remains, but this had resulted in scattering dust towards nearby houses.

Now they were planning to take the remains to the Army's incinerator at Catterick, but this was already being heavily used and there was no indication of when it might be free.

He said: "The whole business is very unpleasant and there are always worries when you get that sort of stuff, no matter how long it has been there.

"It is something we're concerned about and we need to get rid of it as soon as possible."

Yvonne Peacock, chairman of Richmondshire District Council's foot-and-mouth working party said: "We had no idea when they started these pyres that they would last as long as they have.

"It is a big concern that the village has had to suffer for some weeks and for people living there it has been very distressing."