TWO farms in East Lancashire are being investigated for evidence of foot and mouth disease after they supplied meat to an Essex abattoir where the disease was discovered.

The news came as people were warned to stay away from the countryside and major events were cancelled in the wake of the outbreak.

One farm in Edgworth and one in Darwen are known to have supplied pigs to the abattoir in Essex and are among 600 farms being investigated as a precaution. A farm in Northumberland which also supplied pigs to the abattoir has already been confirmed as having the disease.

So far there are no confirmed cases in the North West, though businesses with links with the Essex premises in Essex are being looked at.

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said the two East Lancashire farms were both co-operating fully with Ministry of Agriculture veterinary surgeons and officials and have agreed to halt the movement of livestock until March 16.

Coun Maureen Bateson, the council's executive member for citizens' rights and consumer affairs, said: "There is no evidence of foot and mouth in the area and both the council and the farmers are cooperating with Government officials.

"In the meantime, I would ask people to follow the advice that is being given out across the country and stay away from the countryside until the situation has been resolved."

Yesterday agriculture officials closed auctions and abattoirs for a week and halted the movement of all livestock in a bid to stop the disease spreading.

"I think it is a good thing that they have taken these measures," said Clitheroe Auction Mart manager John Swingler. "It will mean a loss in revenue for us but the disease has to be brought under control.

"In the meantime the 20 full-time and part-time staff who work at the Clitheroe site will be able to do maintenance jobs around the site and help prepare for the new auction rooms, which are opening on March 8."

Stuart Tyldsley, director for Olde English Meats, at Preston, which supplies many butchers within East Lancashire, said they had enough stock to continue supplying their customers for at least another fortnight.

"At a push we will be able to carry on for three weeks," he said.

" I agree that this sort of control has to be taken to try and get rid of the disease."

Pendle Forest Orienteering Club have postponed a competition that was to have been held at Roddlesworth, near Tockholes, as a result of the disease crisis.

A spokeswoman for the club said they had been expecting about 200 people from across the North West to enter the competition this Sunday, February 25.

Lancashire County Council has cancelled its Countryside Walks for this weekend and Lancashire County Council Countryside Service has also advised people to avoid going to farmland.