Hungarian officials have stopped a Bradford lorry loaded with aid from entering the country because of the foot and mouth crisis.

Worshippers at St Mary's Church in the city's East Parade spent months collecting furniture, books and bedding for poverty-stricken Hungarian families.

The goods left England last Thursday with more aid which had been collected from around the country.

But three days later the lorry and its passengers, despite having travelled through France and Germany, were stopped from entering Hungary for fear of spreading the disease.

Eileen Clare, secretary of Christian Aid to Romania, said: "We thought there may be some problem because of foot and mouth and the feelings abroad so we took the decision not to deliver food.

"But the lorry has still been prevented from entering the country.

"I thought everything was sorted with the Hungarian Embassy beforehand so I am very concerned."

Father Denes Lakatos, the former Hungarian chaplain who was based at St Mary's but is moving to Canada, was on board the lorry with volunteer worker Tony Holmes, of Leeds.

A spokesman for the Hungarian Embassy said: "We can't guarantee that any lorries will be allowed into the country and they may have to turn around and come home. Now that there are more and more cases on a daily basis and the disease is getting more serious, even the vehicles pose a danger.

"I'm really sorry that the lorry has entered this situation but it should have checked before it left. We would like to ask everybody to postpone their departure unless it is to deliver emergency medical treatment."