Untreated milk could increase the spread foot and mouth THE favourite pinta for hundreds of people in East Lancashire has been banned - but milk bosses say it will return to the doorsteps soon.

Green top milk became the latest victim of the foot and mouth crisis after it was stopped from being sold following fears the unpasteurised drink could spread the virus further.

Although there is no risk to humans, health experts say the untreated drink could be infected with foot and mouth and get further into the animal food chain. Their biggest fear is customers will feed the milk to cats, who will then roam fields while carrying the virus.

"It is purely a precautionary measure which Ribble Valley Council is taking as we are in a designated foot and mouth affected area," said senior environmental health officer Eamonn Roberts.

"Once the crisis is over the supply of green-top, or untreated milk will return to normal. There are certainly no plans to take it permanently off the market.

One local milkman who is one of several who get their milk from Greenhalghs' at Rugglesmere Farm, Stonyhurst, has customers who take green-top milk and nothing else.

"Those who drink it swear by it. Most of them never drink anything else but untreated milk," said Glen Bowman, of Riverside, Lowmoor.

But even then, the numbers of stalwart drinkers of milk straight from the cow are becoming fewer in number. Out of the 500 or so pintas which Glen deliveries to doorsteps around Clitheroe each morning, only 40 or so are green-top.

Dairy supplier John Thornber, of Higher Green Head Farm, Sawley, supplies four dairymen who deliver milk in the rural area. Here the figures are slightly higher, at around 400 to 500 pints of raw milk supplied each day.

"It is definitely just being done as a precaution and customers who have had green-top in the past will be automatically switched back to it when the crisis ends," he said.