A PIG farmer near Preston has been left distraught after MAFF bosses ordered him to shoot his livestock following an outbreak of foot and mouth at a nearby farm.

Now farmer Raymond Binks of Friths Farm, Hoghton, has had a three week restriction order slapped on him following the foot and mouth case in nearby Withnell which, he says, is costing his business £2,000 a week in lost revenue.

Due to the deepening crisis and fears of the disease spreading to other farmland, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) have ordered him to shoot and dump his livestock himself -- and at his own expense. Raymond, 53, who has owned the farm for 25 years, says the future looks bleak for him and his family.

He said: "We sell pigs at market every week but now due to this restriction order imposed, I can't move any of the animals.

"The number of pigs I have at this moment in time is 130 and it's mounting up.

"But because my farm is not subject to the disease, MAFF has said that my problem is that of animal welfare, therefore I won't get any compensation whatsoever.

"I've been told that I have to organise the shooting and dumping of my animals -- it's a desperate situation and the government just don't want to know.

"It's very upsetting for us all to see the animals distressed. If my animals had foot and mouth at least I would be compensated."

The NFU and Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle said they will try to do everything they can to lift Raymond and his family's plight.