EAST Lancashire farmers were celebrating today as livestock movement restrictions imposed during the foot-and-mouth epidemic were lifted.
The ban had affected almost 8,500 farms in the north of England.
Only four areas are now under controls, including around Skipton, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced.
The last confirmed case of foot-and-mouth came more than five weeks ago on September 30.
On Wednesday, foot and mouth restrictions in parts of the Ribble Valley were lifted. Paythorne, Horton-in-Craven, Newsholme, Gisburn, Bolton-by-Bowland, Clitheroe and Sawley were affected.
The 8,496 farms enjoying today's lifting of controls -- the largest ever single lift of infected area status -- included the rest of East Lancashire.
Thomas Binns, National Farmers' Union regional spokesman, said: "We have been trying for some time to lessen the restrictions. Now it's in the bag."
Nearly 40 farms in East Lancashire had been hit by the disease.
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