MINISTRY of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food chiefs have said it is "unlikely" that foot and mouth epidemic carcasses would ever be dumped at Astley.

But the giant Whitehead landfill site which lies between Boothstown and Astley will remain on a contingency list of 120 sites to be used as mass graves in emergency situations only.

The news will come as welcome relief to local farmers including Astley's James Mullineux.

Speaking from his canalside home at Peel Hall Farm, Astley Green, Mr Mullineux told The Journal he had alerted Minister of Agriculture Nick Brown to the far-reaching dangers he envisaged if Whitehead were used to dump carcasses.

In a letter to Mr Brown he said watercourses running near the tip site could result in any virus from dumped animals being transmitted throughout the whole north west.

He wrote: "The main drainage dyke for the whole area runs virtually along the base of the tip which is basically a porous , colliery waste heap. Any water drains in to the main dyke which runs through Astley farm land and in to the river Glaze and on in to Cheshire.

"There are some 2,000 animals within a few miles of this above ground graveyard. If this slag heap is used to bury animals you and your department will be responsible for causing their deaths by infecting an up to now foot and mouth free zone."

After hearing the latest from MAFF Mr Mullineux said: "It is good news but I am not holding my breath. They keep saying this then more rumours come out."

Last week farmers vowed to blockade the Whitehead tip area with 'a wall of tractors' to prevent culled animals being dumped there.

A MAFF spokesman said the decision not to use Whitehead tip as a burial site was made because targets to dispose both culled animals were being met.

The spokesman said: "It is still on the contingency list but it will not be used.

"It is very unlikely that it would be used because there would be nothing to put in it but if another outbreak occurred it could be used along with other contingency sites.

"But in view of the fact that we are reaching our disposal targets is seems very unlikely that Whitehead tip will be used in the near future."

The Journal told last week how Wigan Council chiefs blocked plans to use the site as foot and mouth dump for infected livestock at the last minute. Officers launched an investigation to see if planning conditions would be breached if they did so.

A Wigan Council spokesman said: "We have not received any confirmation from MAFF that this is the case but we remain hopeful that there will be no need to use the tip and we want MAFF to keep hitting their targets."

Landfill operator Virador have confirmed that the site had been made available and it would be used by the Government and the Intervention Board -- a body which helps MAFF dispose of culled carcasses -- when required.

A spokesman for Virador promised to keep locals informed of the situation.