A FARMER who lost his prized cattle and sheep in the foot and mouth epidemic today urged Government officials to do all they could to make sure the disease never returns.

Great Harwood farmer Alan Barnes spoke out as it was revealed that the whole of England could soon be declared foot and mouth free.

Only Northumberland remains an at risk area after everywhere else in the country was given the all-clear earlier this week.

On March 15, 2001, foot and mouth was confirmed Mr Barnes' farm -- the second outbreak in Hyndburn and one of more than 60 to eventually be discovered across East Lancashire.

All of the animals, which totalled around 900 cattle and sheep, on land at Cowden Farm were culled and buried -- and Mr Barnes spent more than six months waiting to be allowed to restock.

He has now brought back sheep which had wintered elsewhere as well as buying in new stock. He has also bought new cattle which will have embryos implanted in them to help continue the herd of prize stock he had before the crisis.

Now Mr Barnes has urged the Government to make sure the disease never returns.

He said: "It is something we could not survive again. The Government has to do something to stop the foreign imports coming in which I believe caused the disease in the first place.

"I don't just mean the normal trade, but people bringing stuff back in from holidays. I know people who have brought back food from countries with foot and mouth.

"All it takes is one infected item to get into the food chain and it would all start again. It was chaos before, it would be worse next time."

Mr Barnes added: "At the moment, we are at the mercy of the buyers because there are no markets. They name their price and we either take it or leave it. "Hopefully, the restart of the markets will push prices back up."

Two inquiries are under way into the disease, neither of which are public. One is looking at what lessons can be learnt, while the other looks at the scientific side of the crisis.

Brigadier Alex Birtwistle, the Accrington-schooled army man who was given the task of sorting out the foot and mouth crisis in Cumbria earlier this year, believes that ultimately the lessons will be forgotten.

The Brigadier, awarded the OBE in this year's New Year Honours, now works for a charity called Rural Heritage Trust.

He hopes to raise £500,000 which can be used to help create and sustain jobs in rural areas.

He said: "It is only my opinion, but I do not think the lessons will be learned. We are conditioned to accept failure and I think that will be the case here."