Morrisons has pledged £200,000 to help farming families hit by the current foot and mouth crisis.

The company is also providing practical support to farming businesses by speeding up its payments to livestock suppliers so that all bills are settled in 48 hours.

Sir Kenneth Morrison said: "As part of our on-going support for British farmers, we are making every effort to help the industry through this current crisis and beyond. We buy directly from many farmers, and through our regular dialogue with the agricultural community we have a very real understanding of the hardship many are facing in coping with one setback after another. We hope our contribution will make a difference to farmers' lives and businesses during this difficult time."

Morrisons yesterday reported pre-tax profits of £219.1 million for the past year, up a whacking 15.8 per cent on the previous 12 months.