A farmer forced to watch the bodies of his prize herd of cattle on a funeral pyre today welcomed a plan to destroy thousands of carcasses in a Bradford rendering plant.

John Varley spoke out as the first sealed container rolled into Waddingtons & Co Ltd with the bodies of cattle destroyed as a result of foot and mouth disease.

Mr Varley of Myrtle Grove Farm, Queensbury, spoke of his devastation as he watched the destruction of his Limousin cattle.

He said he had asked for their carcasses to be rendered, but was told it could not be done because there was no process in place.

The rendering plant close to the city centre will take up to 2,000 carcasses a week in containers, travelling via the M1, M6, M52, M606, into Bradford. They will then go on to Rooley Lane into Wakefield Road and on to the plant in Buck Street, off Leeds Road.

Bradford Council called emergency talks with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Foods, police and the Army yesterday after the shock news that the plant would be used from today.

The authority had received almost no notice of the decision.

Council leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton and chief executive Ian Stewart received assurances that the containers would not travel through rural areas and would be escorted by MAFF.

Councillor Eaton said: "The council and MAFF will work closely with Waddingtons to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements. We are assured that the lorries will stick to motorways to avoid traffic bottlenecks in other parts of the district."

Environmental health officers will also make daily checks at the plant which will also be monitored by MAFF.

John Williams, MAFF Yorkshire and Humber veterinary services manger, said the animals would have already been slaughtered before they are brought to Bradford.

But the decision to bring the carcasses from the rest of the country for rendering came under heavy attack from Bradford-based Richard North, policy spokesman for the UK Independence Party in the European Parliament.

He said: "It is wholly inappropriate. It is so infectious you want to keep it intact, get it burned or buried."

John Gullett, West Riding council delegate for the National Farmers' Union, said: "Providing it is done in the proper manner and brought in sealed wagons, it would be all right.

"For the people concerned it would probably be better than the soul-destroying process of watching them being burned."

Mr Varley, who found out yesterday that his farm was now clear of the foot and mouth disease, said it had been the longest day of his life but he and his wife hoped eventually to start again.

He said: "I think that this rendering method is perfectly fine. I asked for my cattle to be rendered but they wouldn't do it."

Staff at Waddingtons will have to sign agreements not to be in contact with livestock outside the premises for 24 hours and there will be strict regulations for visitors to the plants.

Coun Eaton said they had also received assurances that the material from the rendering process would go outside the district to be disposed of safely and none would go into the sewerage system.

She said: "In view of public concern we are anxious to ensure that every precaution is taken and rural areas will be avoided."