THE pain and anguish felt by those directly affected by the foot and mouth crisis in Craven is being broadcast in a four-part series beginning on Tuesday.

Named "Silence of the Lambs", the series has been produced by Grassington's Cheeky Monkey Films for Yorkshire Television.

It charts the disease as it marches towards Craven, and captures the raw emotions of the farmers in Malham and Grassington as the first case was confirmed on May 10 2001.

The first programme shows the area turned into a battle-zone. At the end of the first week 22,000 sheep and cattle had been slaughtered and carted away leaving desolate farmers with only memories to fill the void.

By the end of the crisis the area had witnessed more than 500 farms being silenced and nearly three-quarters-of-a-million animals put to death.

Familiar faces fill the screen with an intimacy never captured before as the farmers allow the cameras into their homes.

Among those featured is Philip Metcalfe, of Otterburn Hall Farm, whose sister, Kate, is one of the programme producers.

The moment when DEFRA told him his animals were to go because they were contiguous to a confirmed case is captured, as is the culling operation at his farm.

Then the bombshell came when DEFRA made a blunder and admitted killing 1,200 of his animals by mistake. Philip is seen reading the Herald report.

Featured also is Tant Dean, chairman of Skipton Auction Mart, and his family at Toft House Farm, Threshfield.

"What we have tried to do is show people from outside the area who may not understand rural issues, just how close farmers are to their stock. Few have witnessed what really goes on during a cull and how it affects not only the farmer, but the family and the community," said producer and local resident Paul Edwards.

The four documentaries were filmed over eight months. The first half-hour programme will be televised on YTV on Tuesday at 10.50pm, with the remaining programmes shown over the following three weeks.