DESPITE Government reassurances, the foot and mouth disease outbreak is not, by any stretch of the imagination, under control. Fresh outbreaks of the disease are happening in different regions every day with no sign of any end in sight.

It is now three weeks since the first outbreak with as many as 200,000 animals already slaughtered.

At first the restrictions imposed seemed sensible as people were kept out of the countryside to prevent spreading the virus. But by now many businesses besides farming are feeling the knock-on effect of effectively shutting down the countryside - especially tourism and related industries.

As foot and mouth poses no danger to human health and does not even prove fatal to animals, people are starting to ask searching questions about the tactics employed by the Ministry of Agriculture Farming and Fisheries.

What if the fresh outbreaks carry on happening for the next three months, which is quite feasible?

It will then be at least another month before people are allowed back into the countryside. What is slightly inconvenient now will become a major hardship and an unbearable restriction by the time the warm weather arrives.

Will everyone be expected to observe the regulations for that period of time? Will tourist businesses be expected to effectively close down at the busiest time of the year?

Ilkley's main attraction is the surrounding countryside. The prospect of it remaining 'out of bounds' for the tourist season does not bear thinking about.

Trying to contain the outbreaks does not seem to be working, perhaps Government officials could start thinking about implementing Plan B. That is, if they have a Plan B.