TWO more areas of Herefordshire will be re-opened in time for the Bank Holiday weekend after foot-and-mouth forced their closure.

Ramblers will be able to enjoy Newtown Coppice and Dinedor Camp, which are both near Hereford, both of which have been closed since the end of February.

Earlier this month, Queenswood Country Park was re-opened, and last weekend Goodrich Castle, near Ross-on-Wye, and nearby Kerne Bridge had the restrictions lifted.

Herefordshire Council said it had been working closely with the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) to establish which locations could be opened and what precautions needed to be put in place.

"This is encouraging news for the county," said the council's head ranger Paul Tomkins.

Basic rules

"All we ask is that visitors follow very basic rules - these include walking across disinfectant mats, where necessary, staying on identified footpaths within the areas which have been re-opened and walking dogs on short leads."

The authority is also working to re-open public rights of way and liaising with parish councils to identify pathways which can safely be re-opened either in or close to the boundaries of villages and towns across the county.

A new case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed close to the Herefordshire border at Glasbury-on-Wye, Powys.

A number of farms that border the infected site will be included in a contiguous cull.