Board members of The Westmorland Agricultural Society have unanimously rejected an approach by DEFRA to prepare a site on the Crooklands showfield as a crisis centre for vets fighting foot-and-mouth, writes Farming Reporter Justin Hawkins.

Their refusal has left DEFRA still looking for a site in South Lakeland, while the proposal led to rumours among the farming community of an expected outbreak of the virus.

Westmorland Agricultural Society secretary Rodger Read said: "While we are supportive of their efforts to do something proactive in the area, the board decided that it would be totally inappropriate for an agricultural showground."

An agent working for the ministry approached the society on Tuesday last week to prepare an area roughly the size of a football pitch as an operations outpost in the event that foot-and-mouth broke out in South Lakeland.

If accepted, the plan would have seen DEFRA tarmac the area opposite the agricultural society's Lane Farm headquarters; erect portable buildings to house vets and support staff; and make use of power cables, telephone lines and high-speed computer links available at Lane Farm.