POLLSTERS have been accused of profiteering from the foot-and-mouth misery by running a premium-rate vote on culling animals.

Unsolicited faxes have been sent to businesses and individuals, asking them to vote on whether healthy animals should be slaughtered to try to contain the outbreak.

Replies to the poll can be faxed to a premium-rate line - charging £1.50 a minute - with faxes said to take one to two minutes to return.

The news comes as the number of foot-and-mouth cases rose to 430, with an additional 35 confirmed by last night.

The North-East's latest confirmed case came at Toft Hill, near Bishop Auckland, bringing County Durham's grim toll to 37. Farmer Graeme Raw yesterday saw his 160 cattle and 350 sheep, plus lambs and calves only recently born, put to death.

The fax poll has been commissioned by 21st Century Faxes, of London, which claims the results will be presented to Agriculture Minister Nick Brown and the National Farmers' Union.

But the NFU has condemned the poll as a cynical attempt to make money out of a crisis which is destroying the livelihoods of farmers.

An NFU North-East spokes-man said: "They're profiteering at the expense of farmers, unless they are going to pass the money onto charities supporting farmers. It's quite sickening to try to make money out of a tragedy."

A Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman said: "Maff is not connected with this exercise in any way."

Businessman Mike Walker, of Middleton St George, near Darlington, said he was appalled when he received the fax. He said: "People should not be out to make money from something like foot-and-mouth."

Derek Foster, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, said: "I am appalled that any company would have been so insensitive as to make money out of farmers' distress in this way."

Last night, 21st Century Faxes refused to comment. A spokeswoman said: "We don't normally talk to people on the phone."

Meanwhile,the Prime Minister signalled yesterday he would push ahead with local authority elections on May 3, despite calls to consider a postponement because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Tony Blair said to send out a signal that Britain was "closed for business" would have damaging consequences for the tourist industry.

In another development, the European Union banned all livestock exports from the Netherlands after cases of foot-and-month were confirmed there.

Plea for cash - Page 5