RURAL areas in the North-East face an anxious wait as the extent of the foot-and-mouth outbreak is investigated.

Farmers fear their livelihoods being endangered and country shows and cattle marts have been thrown into disarray.

Regional director of the Countryside Alliance Richard Dodd said the rural community was “holding is breath”.

He said: “People are angry because it seems to have come from a research centre.

“If this is a Pandora’s Box that has been left open we could be heading for the same scale of disaster.”

Susan Dart farms, with her husband and son near Slaley in Northumberland, said: “It is basically a nightmare. Everything just comes to a standstill.”

Cattle marts across the region have ground to a halt. Hexham and Northern Marts managing director Jimmy Walton said: “All the marts will be cancelled for a time because of the animal movement restriction.”

Powburn show was cancelled on Saturday. Many other shows, including Slaley, Bellingham, Allendale and Fourstones, will still go ahead – but without cattle and sheep.

Vicky Hutchinson, secretary of the Slaley show, said: “For a show it is more about entertainment, but for the farming community you are talking about people’s livelihoods.” The FMD crisis of 2001 also hit the region’s tourism industry. Stacy Hall, director of communications and tourism at One NorthEast said: “It's very much business as usual for tourism in the region.

“Our main focus over the summer months is to promote the fantastic attractions, events and places to stay right across the North- East.”

As a result of the discovery of FMD in Surrey, the whole of England has been classified as a restricted zone, making it a criminal offence to move farm animals. Northumberland County Council Trading Standards officials are policing the ban. A spokesman said: “Northumberland farmers have been advised that there is a complete ban on the movement of farm animals until further notice.

“We are also working closely with Government Office for the North East, Defra, Animal Health and the environmental health officers of the district and borough councils across the county.”

Northumberland County Council chief fire officer Brian Hesler said: “We ask everybody for their full support in taking every precaution to protect Northumberland from this terrible disease.”