Many scenic woods, fields and footpaths across the district closed because of the foot and mouth disease crisis will be opened up again to the public - on Government instructions.

Some will open at midnight tonight and restrictions on others will be lifted next Friday.

But Bradford Council is appealing to the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs to make Baildon Moor a special case and allow them to keep it shut until the results of tests culled on the moor last Saturday are known.

The Department has told local authorities across the country that areas can only remain shut if they can prove reopening would risk a spread of the disease.

At midnight tonight Middleton Woods, including Stubham Woods and Hudson Woods, Panorama Woods and Hebers Ghyll, Ilkley, will reopen to the public.

And from midnight next Friday footpaths will open in Tong, Bierley, Wyke, Queensbury and Thornton.

Ilkley Moor will remain shut, however, because a section of it falls into a designated three kilometre protection zone at Middleton, where there has been an outbreak.

Rombalds Moor, Baildon Green, Black Moor, Shipley Glen and Keighley Moor will also remain shut to the public because the council believes there is a risk.

The Council's executive member for the environment Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said land and footpaths would also remain closed in protection zones around infected farms in Silsden.

She said: "Buffer zones must be put in place to make sure this disease does not spread any further. The council has been cautious since the foot and mouth outbreak in February and sees no reason not to do so as the livelihood of local farmers is very important."

Officers will need to carry out risk assessment of land where potentially foot and mouth could be spread, with a view of keeping some footpaths closed.

Over the next few days officers will be putting up new signs showing where footpaths are being reopened.

A DEFRA spokesman said footpaths in parts of North Yorkshire which had been hit by outbreaks would remain closed however.

He added: "Local businesses have been hit very hard. We are continuing to eradicate foot and mouth disease and we are asking local authorities to open up rights of way where veterinary officers say it is safe to do so."

Meanwhile there will be strict guidelines for ramblers and other visitors to the country which people will be asked to observe.

DEFRA says dogs should be kept on leads and people should stay away from farms if they have been near livestock in the last seven days.

Ray Wilkes of Bradford Countrywide Holiday Associations - one of the district's main rambling associations - welcomed the reopening of the countryside.

He said: "We are very pleased and are fully aware of the precautions which must be taken. Everyone has been told they must act responsibly.