HUNDREDS of miles of footpaths in the Lake District will reopen on August 1 for the first time since foot-and-mouth restrictions closed them in February, writes Farming Reporter Justin Hawkins.

Cumbria County Council was exempted from Government demands that councils lift all access restrictions, but will still open 1,018 miles of paths, mainly within the Lake District National Park.

The move gives far more access than the earlier opening of specific fell routes and low level paths.

Tourism bosses welcomed the decision to open up much of the area to visitors but many farmers are uneasy at the prospect of open access to livestock areas and fear the disease could spread.

There were 12 new cases of foot-and-mouth confirmed in the 'Penrith Spur' this week, including two at Bampton, near Haweswater, only a stone's throw from the north eastern border of the proposed open area.

NFU officials have asked the council to consider re-drawing the map to keep people away from the newly-infected area.

Bampton farmer Peter Allen found foot-and-mouth in sheep on an enclosed 125-hectare common shared with two other farmers, and 800 sheep were slaughtered there.

The outbreak is just over three miles from Bampton Common, which leads, unbroken, into the heart of the Lake District across Kentmere Common and to popular areas such as High Street and Red Crags and Kidsty Pike.

Mr Allen, who is Cumbria's delegate on the national NFU council, said that DEFRA would now have to look again at the open areas in light of the new outbreak and warned: "The risk to the Lake District is too great."

Derek Lomax, Kendal NFU group secretary, said the NFU wanted to see the open area boundary stop at the A592 Kirkstone Pass road to protect the area around Shap and south of Tebay now threatened by the growing Penrith Spur.

Ray Anderson, DEFRA director of operations, told the Gazette yesterday (Thursday): "The new outbreaks to the west of the motorway are worrying.

It has reappeared in an area where we thought the disease was reasonably quiescent."

Southern areas such as Kendal and Ulverston were left out of the area earmarked for opening because of previous infections and because of the threat from the Penrith Spur.

However, the council could open some parts of the area later in August.

Right of way restrictions have also been lifted over most of Lancashire but they remain in place around the county's border with Cumbria including Halton, Caton, Hornby, Wray and Nether Kellet and Over Kellet.

Farmers within areas due for opening have until July 24 to request footpath diversions around farmyards or particularly sensitive areas.