UP to 60 protesters descended on the Ministry of Agriculture in Worcester to demand a public inquiry into its handling of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

The group handed officials a list of nine questions they want answered if the Government agreed to its request.

Among their demands, the marchers have called for the number of negative laboratory results from the total 1,674 infected premises nationwide to be made public.

Nicola and Andrew Morris, who organised yesterday's FMD Truth Rally - one of four around the country - claimed MAFF's handling of the crisis had been poor.

The couple, from Eaton's Farm, at Tibberton near Droitwich, were among several farms in the village who resisted culls of their livestock following negative test results.

"I don't think there's been a conspiracy as some people have claimed, but it has been a case of good old-fashioned incompetence," Mrs Morris said.

Mrs Morris - a National Farmers' Union member whose husband was Worcester chairman in 1999 - also criticised the union's position throughout the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"Locally, they've been very supportive, but nationally their attitude has been: 'Stop complaining and let MAFF get on with it.'"

MAFF spokesman Ray Pritchard confirmed officials had received the list of questions.

"Three or four of the leaders were invited in to discuss the issues, but declined," he said.

"They later handed in a list of questions, but there was no means of reply on it."

Russell Griffin, of the NFU, said the union supported a review of MAFF's handling of the crisis, but not a public inquiry.

"We've supported MAFF during the crisis because our first priority was controlling and -stamping out the disease," he said.

"There were occasions where mistakes were made, but for the good of the country as a whole, we had to follow it."