Hundreds of traders in the Skipton area are pleading hardship because of the foot-and- mouth crisis.

North Yorkshire County Council's rural task group has identified 400 businesses in the Skipton area which need help to survive.

They have applied for hardship rate relief along with 47 businesses in Hambleton, 64 in Richmondshire, 54 in Scarborough and 30 in Ryedale.

There are no foot-and-mouth outbreaks in Craven, but two farms have been identified in the north of the county, including one in the Yorkshire Dales village of Hawes.

All footpaths and bridleways in the Dales have been out of bounds since the crisis broke.

County council bosses have lobbied the Government for extra money claiming help is needed urgently.

They are seeking cash to launch a regional and local publicity campaign to raise tourist income.

And they want interest-free loans made available to traders suffering severe losses.

Officers say that as well as losing business as a result of fewer people visiting and staying in the countryside, businesspeople face a fall in trade because of the loss of events such as agricultural shows.

County leader, Councillor David Ashton, said: "The Government has targeted special help to businesses in Cumbria, Devon, Wales and the rorth east, but has ignored North Yorkshire.''

A detailed case for help had been put together and forwarded to Whitehall.

Romany Hall-Denison, who runs Malham Caf for her mother, said trade was "diabolical''.

"It's gone from bad to worse. We opened last Saturday and Sunday and we took £4 on Saturday and £5 on Sunday.''

And Johnothan Ditchfield, who runs the Lister Arms in Malham, said: "Malham is a ghost village. We must be 80 per cent down on business compared to last year.

"The only thing keeping us going is local trade.''