A GOVERNMENT minister declared the foot and mouth disaster a national crisis when he visited Leigh.

Department of trade and industry minister Kim Howells also warned people to stay away from the countryside.

Speaking during a visit to a science education facility in Hope Carr Lane on Wednesday, Mr Howells said: "It's a national crisis. This has to be eradicated otherwise it's going to devastate agriculture for years to come. Farmers don't need me to tell them the gravity of the situation. I urge people to stay away from farms and rediscover walking in your town and cities. Don't go near the countryside."

He added: "I think Nick Brown and MAFF have done exactly the right thing. They have been tough measures."

The minister visited North West Water's environmental education centre in Hope Carr Barn to promote local industry investment in education and training in Leigh.

He met children from Lowton High School who were using the education facility as part of their GCSE science course. They showed the minister an experiment on removing clay from water.

He chatted to the youngsters and admired the work done at the centre.

Mr Howells said: "It's a great asset to the local community and local schools. Leigh is an ex-mining area similar to my constituency in Wales. It's not the shortage of its the shortage of skills which is the problem. We have got to get the right skills. We've got to pay much more attention to business partnerships with schools."

The £750,000 education facility at Siddow Common nature reserve was paid for by United Utilities which owns North West Water and which have also agreed to pay £250,000 running costs.

Children from across the Leigh area have access to the converted 100 year old barn, where former cowstalls are now computer rooms and laboratories.

Opened in 1996, it has a range of modern teaching aids, including a specially-created virtual reality model of the nearby nature reserve.

Head of science at Lowton High School Terry Hayes said: "It is the only one in this area and we are very privileged to be able to use it."

Pupil Stevie Cooper, 14, who is sitting her GCSEs next year, said: "I enjoy coming here because it's more interesting than having science lessons in school."

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