FARMERS in a village devastated by the foot-and-mouth crisis reacted furiously last night as another case was revealed.

The Ministry of Agriculture (Maff) confirmed a second case at Danby Wiske, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, at a farm where livestock had been spared from slaughter only days ago.

The outbreak at West Farm, owned by John Wilkin, came a week after foot-and-mouth was confirmed in a herd of 219 cattle at Park Hill Farm.

A further 750 dairy cattle from three neighbouring farms were listed for slaughter last week, but Mr Wilkin's farm was given the all-clear.

However, 164 dairy cattle and 120 ewes belonging to Mr Wilkin, as well as another 60 ewes from another farm, will face slaughter after the disease was confirmed last night.

The outbreak infuriated the National Farmers' Union, which said it was amazed Mr Wilkin's stock had not been taken for slaughter last week.

Northallerton branch secretary Peter Edmunds said: "The incompetence of it all does make you smile.

"I don't know why they didn't do it in the first place, then it wouldn't have been an outbreak, but the problem would have been taken out. Now there is a risk it could be spreading further."

A Maff spokeswoman said West Farm had not been considered a dangerous contact.

l Haulage company J and J Ward has said a vehicle pictured in The Northern Echo yesterday was carrying coal and stone to Danby Wiske and was not involved in transporting carcasses.

Read more about Foot-and-Mouth here.