FARMERS affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak are being urged to record their experiences of the agricultural crisis to make sure they are not forgotten.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff has written to all farmers who contacted him during the crisis to ensure their voice is heard in any public inquiry into the epidemic.

Dozens of farmers called the Tory MP to voice their fears over welfare problems as well as other foot-and-mouth related queries.

"I'm very anxious that the experiences of local farmers should be properly recorded so that evidence is available to submit to any inquiry that the Government may establish," said Mr Luff.

Representations

"It's important that local farmers should be in a position to make the strongest possible representations to such an inquiry about the shortcomings of Government policy and its implementation."

Mr Luff's constituency was home to five confirmed cases of the disease, which swept across mainland Britain. There were also numerous farms where animals were slaughtered on suspicion and scores of dangerous contact cases.

He says farmers' voices needed to be heard to help Ministers prepare for any recurrence of the disease.

"Nothing short of a full public inquiry, on the scale of the BSE inquiry, will do, if all the lessons of this tragedy are to be learnt," said Mr Luff.

"If any other farmers in my constituency wish to contact me I would be delighted to hear from them too."

There were 66 cases in total across the two counties. The last recorded case was on Wednesday, April 25, at Wigmore, near Leominster.

Leominster MP Bill Wiggin has also backed calls for a public inquiry.

The newly-elected Tory says the Government must do more than rename the Ministry of Agriculture to improve the situation in the countryside.

"The countryside is about more than just foxhunting and the Government needs to wake up to the suffering that is going on," he added.