IT was supposed to be their big day -- the culmination of months of planning.

But the very day 26-year-old Richard Thornber and his 29-year-old fiancee Liz Schofield should have been tying the knot at St Andrew's Church, Slaidburn, the couple were busy reorganising the date after falling victim to the escalating foot and mouth crisis.

When the pair, whose parents are farmers, announced the June 10 date last year, foot and mouth was something from the rural community's troubled past.

But as the date neared the crippling disease was spiralling out of control and had gripped the Ribble Valley.

Where wedding bells should have been sounding, slaughtermen's shots were ringing out.

The venue of the planned reception, the Stirk House Hotel, in Gisburn, was right in the middle of one of the worst-hit areas, leaving them with no choice but to cancel just one week before.

As rural people themselves Liz, who lives with her parents at Storth Farm, Newton, near Bowland, and Richard, of Pendle Road, Clitheroe, knew all too well the very real fear of living under the cloud of foot and mouth and were determined not to help spread it.

Liz, a hairdresser at Main Line Hair Salon, in Castle Street, Clitheroe, said: "There was nothing else we could do.

"We kept an eye on the situation and about two weeks before the wedding we rang all the people involved telling them we might have to cancel. "The week before we knew it was bad so we postponed it.

"I was disappointed but at least I still have it to look forward to."

Because they forewarned the confectioners, the cake had not yet been made.

The flowers were not arranged and the dress, which had had its alterations done, is still in the shop.

The honeymoon to Venice will be taken at a later date.

All the invitations that had gone out months before were followed up with frantic telephone calls telling the would-be guests not to bother.

Liz's mum, June, said the family's priority was to prevent any spread of the disease.

She said: "All the guests were very understanding.

"Most of them are country people anyway.

"We didn't want to be responsible for bringing foot and mouth to our neighbours.

"When one farm gets it it takes out five others.

"The Ribble Valley is an absolute wipe-out and we don't want that around here."

Richard's parents own land in Clitheroe and also run Gamble Hall Farm, in Newton. The wedding has now been pencilled in for August 5, although if the crisis has not changed Richard and Liz say they will cancel it again.