THE announcement this week that Ilkley Moor could be off limits to members of the public until the end of the year began to raise some serious questions about the handling of the foot and mouth epidemic.

Now there has been a remarkable about-turn and we discover that a large part of the moor can be re-opened after all.

The disease was first discovered in February, yet the mass culling and movement restrictions to prevent its further spread still continue in farcical fashion six months later.

If the Government had announced in February that whole swathes of the countryside would be closed for the whole of spring and summer, there would have been a public outcry.

But that is what has happened in some places, albeit by degrees. And because of the various foot and mouth rip-offs which have been widely reported, such as the over-valuing of slaughtered livestock and outrageous prices charged by contractors for disinfecting farms, Joe Public and the tourism industry have had to suffer further.

Taxpayers who have to bear the financial burden of the foot and mouth crisis with the additional problem of not being allowed to enjoy the countryside, were beginning to feel a bit fed up about the whole mess.

There are also the extra difficulties faced by the shops and tourist businesses in Ilkley which have suffered through no fault of their own.

Then there are the horror stories of tongues allegedly being cut out of culled animals and used to deliberately infect other herds, and a farmer's claim of being called up and offered a live, diseased sheep for sale to infect his own stock and claim compensation.

How long will it be before people start demanding other solutions to the foot and mouth crisis, such as wholesale vaccination? Already at least one politician in Bradford has called for vaccination to be used and called for a public inquiry into the handling of the whole affair.

At least now the people in Ilkley who will ultimately foot the bill for whole fiasco will now be able to enjoy a pleasant walk on part of the moors for the first time in six months, and Ilkley traders may get an increase in business before the end of the year.