OKEHAMPTON and Hatherleigh are set to benefit from a multi-million pound Government cash injection to help revitalise market towns and their surrounding villages.

The two towns are among seven in the West Country which have been identified by the South West Regional Development Agency as the most in need and each will get up to £1-million.

The money for Okehampton, Hatherleigh, Holsworthy, South Molton, Crediton, Great Torrington and Launceston, which are in the areas worst affected by the foot and mouth crisis, will help to create new job opportunities, restore high streets, improve local transport and encourage local people and businesses to get involved in building better communities.

The commitment to strengthen market towns as the hub for their surrounding countryside was announced by the Government last November in its Rural White Paper and this is the second part of the market town regeneration programme.

Communities will draw up a regeneration strategy looking at what is required to rebuild their towns and local people will be employed as 'community agents' to keep the process moving along.

The announcement has been welcomed by civic leaders and members of the business community in Okehampton and Hatherleigh.

Chairman of Okehampton Chamber of Trade Ian Bailey said this money was so desperately needed at this time but it was important to make sure it was not spent on reports and studies.

'We have consultants' reports coming out of our ears,' he said. 'We have to get our hands on the money because it is needed now.'

Hatherleigh Business Assocation chairman Philip Pyle said he was glad the town was at the top of the list for funding help.

'Hatherleigh is the most blighted town of the South West because of the foot and mouth crisis and should be getting the lion's share of anything coming this way,' he said.

'I would like to see the community hall and sport centre project come to fruition which would bring more people to Hatherleigh, an expansion of the industrial estate and shops re-opening.'

Tom Tomkins, who is operations manager at one of Okehampton's largest employers, Sprung Slumber, said a much improved local transport system would benefit the town and villages enormously.

'This money is great news for Okehampton and I hope it will create jobs but we need a better bus service so people can get to and from work at the normal times.

'I would also like to see a regular rail service between Exeter and Okehampton because I believe it would generate more interest in the town.'

West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett said he was delighted this money had come forward for Okehampton and Hatherleigh and their surrounding villages and there were many uses for it including marketing the area and local agricultural products to business support and education.

'I have stressed constantly over the months, privately with ministers and in the House of Commons, the impact of this dreadful disease throughout my constituency,' he said.

'I welcome this money but it does not disguise the fact that we need a complete overhaul of the formula for apportioning money between the various areas of the country and that includes money for health and education.'

Chairman of the South West RDA Sir Michael Lickiss said the money would help market towns start the process of rebuilding the vitality of their communities.

'There are no quick fixes to rejuvenate market towns hit by the foot and mouth crisis, however, £8-million is a step in the right direction,' he said.

'We realise that the prime concern at the moment is fighting the day-to-day effects of foot and mouth but will be ready and waiting to help these towns when they come to a point at which they start to look forward.'

The South West RDA is also in discussion with Dartmoor National Park Authority to assess what it can do to help communities in these areas.