FARMERS in Wyre Forest are hoping their fears over the foot and mouth crisis will be passed on to the Government after a Tory agriculture spokesman visited Kidderminster. Trimpley farmer Mike Halford (centre) meets Conservative agriculture spokesman Malcolm Moss (right) and prospective parliamentary candidate Mark Simpson to discuss farmers'

concerns over foot and mouth disease.

Malcolm Moss was at the district's Conservative headquarters on Tuesday to talk to 12 Wyre Forest farmers about issues including import of meat, arable and livestock farming and sugar beet production.

But the management of the foot and mouth crisis - which has gripped the district with eight cases around Chaddesley Corbett and Stone - by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, topped the agenda.

Mr Moss reports directly to Shadow Agriculture Minister Tim Yeo and has vowed to press for a Government response to farmers' concerns.

Speaking after the meeting at Margaret Thatcher House, Mill Street, Mr Moss told the Shuttle/Times & News: "They're still essentially very concerned about MAFF's handling of the foot and mouth crisis.

"They feel very fundamental problems are not being addressed and that this thing is going to drag on for many more months."

Mr Moss said a typical concern was the organisation of the contrac tors brought in to dispose of infected livestock - which he described as a "frankly criminal" waste of money.

He said farmers feared bankruptcy levels could increase dramatically and were worried the issue would become ignored when Parliament was dissolved ahead of the General Election.

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Mark Simpson, who sat in on the meeting between Mr Moss and the farmers, said it had been "a very good discussion".

He added: "He is the first agriculture spokesman to visit the constituency since the foot and mouth outbreak. He has been giving local farmers the opportunity to make their points of view known."