FURIOUS day trippers at Ilkley's Cow and Calf rocks turned on youths blatantly ignoring foot and mouth disease restrictions.

Passers-by were outraged by a gang of youths who frolicked on the rocks on Saturday - ignoring cordons and warning signs telling them to keep off the moorland.

The flashpoint came at 4.30pm when a group of the teenagers wandered down to the ice cream hut in the car park and a member of the public challenged them.

Following a heated exchange the man, who declined to be named, said the youths were acting irresponsibly and should be fined for flouting the ban.

The man who had been sunbathing with his wife on a grass verge outside the restricted area for two hours, said: "I come from a farming community and these kids don't know the distress they're causing.

"We will never be free of foot and mouth if people don't take notice of the bans and traipse around spreading it everywhere."

He said he despaired after being met with a volley of abuse from one of the youths.

He said: "Later a gang of older youths arrived and also stepped over the cordons to wander up the rocks on what was the hottest day of the year."

Councillor Ilkley Anne Hawkesworth (Con) said: "It's a good job that the majority have shown a responsible attitude but I think it's terrible that these youngsters do not seem to understand or care about what could happen because of their stupidity."

Other Gazette readers, who did not want to be identified said they had spotted walkers on the moor ignoring 'keep off' signs. One said she had seen a family breaking foot and mouth restrictions on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for Bradford Council's Countryside Service said: "When the outbreak started, countryside officers taped off the car park used by people wanting tom climb on the rocks and also put up notices saying the moor was out of bounds. Recently even bigger notices were put up to reinforce the message.

"Our officers make regular inspections of the moor to make sure people are not using it."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "Enforcement of the regulations is a matter for MAFF and where any offence has come to light we would assist MAFF and the local authority and take appropriate action."