MORE than five thousand hoteliers, shopkeepers, caravan park owners and other business people across Cumbria whose fortunes have been hit by foot-and-mouth are waiting to hear if their rateable values will be reduced.

Some 2,096 ratepayers in South Lakeland - and 888 in Eden - have appealed for temporary reductions to help ease hardship.

However, the Valuation Office says only

half the businesses making appeals have returned their questionnaires, and it is urging people to complete them as soon as possible.

The office is particularly keen to hear from hotels, caravan parks and other holiday accommodation in the honeypots of Windermere, Ambleside, Coniston, Grasmere and Keswick.

Jackie Potter, who is in charge of the Valuation Office North West Group, said: "We shall be offering reductions where we have been able to get evidence that a business has been adversely affected by the disease - a hotel which has had access restrictions in its surrounding area, for example."

The Valuation Office hopes to start making offers from next week, and to contact up to 1,000 people during September.

The aim is to contact most people before Christmas.