FARMS around Kettlewell are breathing small sighs of relief after test results on animals at Sunter's Garth Farm, slaughtered last week under suspicion of having foot and mouth, have been found negative.

But the news was not as favourable at the South View home of FC, N and M Walker, at Hartlington near Burnsall.

Their animals at Rams Close Lane, Burnsall, were also slaughtered under suspicion earlier, and on Tuesday, news came through that the animals had tested positive and contiguous premises were being identified.

In all it was a poor week for Craven with six more cases being confirmed following a lull of 10 days.

On Tuesday and Wednesday Rathmell Primary School was closed as animals at neighbouring Gawthorpe House Farm, home to Ian and Judith Wright were being culled after they were found to have the disease at the beginning of the week. It was the first case in that area of North Craven since early June.

Two more cases were identified in the village later, one at the home of Lillian Gorst, of Hollin Hall Farm, and another at Beautry House Farm, home to DP Currie.

Mrs Gorst told the Herald: "We really do not know how the disease has got to us. We have taken every precaution, with disinfectant mats down since February.

"Even the postman has not been allowed to come up to the farm."

There was further grim news with the confirmation of a second case of the virus in Silsden at Heights Farm, home of M Waite.

The revelation resulted in 89 cattle and two lambs being slaughtered within 24 hours as contiguous premises were being identified to try to contain the disease.

And the toll grew yesterday (Thursday) with Bradley's first case. The virus was found in animals at Smoulden Farm, owned by R Greenwood, of Newlands Farm.

The latter case came within a couple of days of Cononley Gala Committee deciding to abandon this year's gala after more than 35 years of staging the tradition.

Initially the event had been postponed until September 15 in the hope that the disease could be contained.

The number of positive cases in the Settle/Clitheroe rectangle now totals 94. In addition there have been 372 farms identified as contiguous premises and the number of animals slaughtered include 40,728 cattle, 227,791 sheep and lambs, 176 pigs, 61 goats and 155 exotics including farmed deer and water buffalo.