ON Friday, March 2, I returned home from work to find that Bury Council had closed the unadopted section of Ainsworth Hall Road in Ainsworth to try to stop foot and mouth disease reaching our area.

I am in full agreement with this and thought the council had obviously done a good job in the face of what must be an extremely heavy workload.

I expected a very quiet weekend without the usual dog-walkers and families passing our home. How wrong could I be?

In fact, the lane was busier than ever. I began to wonder if some of these people think foot and mouth disease only exists Monday to Friday and disappears at weekend ready for their family outings and dog walks. I own a dog and regularly walk him down the unadopted section of Ainsworth Hall Road, but we now take him elsewhere. What was particularly worrying was that the walkers did not return past our home: obviously they tramped through several connecting farms in the area.

I telephoned the council on Friday, as I was concerned that the notice was too small. Two more calls over the weekend came to no avail and, after being told it was a police matter to enforce the notice, I made a further call on Saturday to Greater Manchester Police. Nothing has been heard from them. Apparently this problem is widespread.

I wonder if these dog-lovers would still walk their dogs in the area if the threat of foot and mouth affected canines?

I am saddened to have witnessed such disregard for the farming community who are under immense pressure on a daily basis. If the people concerned read this letter, they should hang their heads in shame.

JANET EDGE,

Ainsworth Hall Road,

Ainsworth.