LARGE numbers of country lovers who visited Barley picnic site at the weekend were disappointed to find that all footpaths in the area remain closed because of the foot and mouth crisis.

The confusion is thought to have occurred because of an announcement by Lancashire County Council that the majority of Lancashire's 3,716 miles of public rights of way were re-opening.

Assistant at the tourist information office, Janet Sheppey, said: "They had heard that footpaths were being reopened as from midnight on Friday but that is most definitely not the case in this area.

"We had about 70 visitors on Saturday the majority of whom were dressed for walking and were hoping to climb Pendle Hill.

"By the end of the day I was becoming hoarse telling them that the paths around here were still closed.

"Some even became quite irate saying they had travelled a long distance and I could only tell them sorry but it was not my fault."

Among the disappointed people were a family from France and other visitors from Wales, Chester and Manchester areas.

Janet said: "I have put up extra notices on the shutters of the information centre pointing out that paths in this part of Pendle and the Ribble Valley remain closed."

She said the likely cause of the confusion was that paths in the Rossendale Valley, Wycoller Country Park and Bouldsworth Hill had just been re-opened.

It was announced that rights of way in areas containing a high number of confirmed foot and mouth cases would remained closed.

It included large parts of the Clitheroe area, Whalley, Dunsop Bridge, Bashall Eaves and Whitewell but there was no reference to Pendle Hill.