Bradford has been declared a foot and mouth-free zone after 80 taxing days of restrictions.

Government vets yesterday announced that blood tests on livestock had proved negative and farmers could begin taking animals to slaughterhouses.

Despite the exhaustive tests by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), Bradford Council has decided not to open any more footpaths before carrying out its own risk assessment.

Farming leader John Gullet welcomed the news but said the worst was by no means over. And one farmer hit by foot and mouth said she would not risk restocking her farm until six months after the last case in the country.

The lifting of restrictions came as MAFF announced another case in Settle, the 19th in the area, at Church Close Farm, Coniston Cold.

Bradford was declared a foot-and-mouth infected area after outbreaks at Bobby Green Farm at Queensbury and Myrtle Grove Farm at Clayton in early March followed by a third in Rawdon towards the end of the month.

Patricia Varley, who runs Myrtle Grove with husband John, said: "We are so scared of having the disease all over again that we are not going to start restocking until six months after the last in the country.

"We have come to terms with it but it would be unbearable if it happened again."

Her caution was echoed by Mr Gullett, West Ridings representative of the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

He said: "This is really good news. It was starting to get desperate. People couldn't move cattle that needed to be moved pretty badly.

"But we are not yet there by any means. I will say we are back to normal when we have livestock markets once more - and that looks a long way off.

"And there is still the business in Settle to get over."

Councillor Anne Hawkes-worth, Bradford Council's executive member for the environment, warned that people could not afford to relax behaviour around public footpaths even with the lifting of restrictions.

She said: "Further risk assessments will be carried out next week to see whether we can open more sites.

"But we will also be bearing in mind that Bradford is close to the Dales and we cannot afford to become complacent."

A spokesman for MAFF said its announcement, also covering Rawdon, Calderdale and Kirklees, meant farmers could take animals to any slaughterhouse willing to accept them as long as the journey was uninterrupted and took less than four and a half hours.

Farmers can also move animals out of the Bradford area, but not into places which have not been infected.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Forward has announced a £2.5 million foot and mouth-recovery plan for non-agricultural firms which have been hit. For more information ring 01904 686000.