AN EU directive to limit the time farmers can spend on their tractors has been branded a "masterpiece of madness" by the East Lancashire farming community.

And farmers today added that the plans to reduce tractor usage to a maximum of seven hours a day were "silly", "pathetic" and impossible to implement.

The restrictive limits form the basis of the Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive which was finally agreed after three years of discussions in Brussels.

The directive will apply to anyone driving or working with vibrating machinery, including hand tools.

Among those worst affected will be agriculture, hauliers and the construction industry.

Clayton-le-Dale farmer and Ribble Valley councillor Peter Ainsworth, who runs Showley Fold Farm, in Showley Road, said he was surprised that the limit had been set at seven hours.

He said: "I thought the limit would have been lower and that the relevant bodies would keep talking.

"I do, though, think it is very stupid as we farmers need our tractors to carry out our work."

The amount of time we use them is seasonal - the better the day the more time we would be out. But if there's a job to be done we have to do it."

Hapton farmer David Cartmell, whose farm, Shuttleworth House Farm, has been in business for 40 years, said: "I have heard about this and think it is pathetic. It is very silly as the amount of time I spend out on the tractor depends on the time of year."

But Richard Wiggans, whose family has run Brocklehead Farm, in Roman Road, Eccleshill, for 56 years, said he thought nothing would come of the Directive in East Lancashire.

He said: "Like everything else, this has been completely tied up in bureaucracy, but I don't think it will happen as there is no way I can see it ever being enforced."

NFU Lancashire county chairman and Heysham farmer Jim Birkett said: "It is a masterpiece of madness. This directive has been driven through without any scientific justification to support it.

"It will be almost impossible to implement and to police. This is the European Nanny State gone mad."

And vice-chairman of the Lancashire NFU Thomas Binns added: "This legislation goes too far. Even working out the guidelines will be difficult because there are so many different types of vehicles. It will be impossible to police."