THE TOWN which has suffered more than any other in the South West because of the foot and mouth outbreak was given a ray of hope this week.

West Devon Meats of Hatherleigh, which has been closed since the early days of the outbreak, re-opened for business. The company has been licensed to slaughter animals under the Voluntary Farm Animal Welfare Disposal Scheme.

Under the scheme animals which are at risk but are not themselves infected by the disease may be slaughtered and the farmer compensated if a vet considers their welfare is in danger.

Pig farmers in particular have been pressing for help because their animals grow so quickly, and two weeks ago in the Times pig breeder Sarah-Jane Stephens of Heathfield, Tavistock called the situation 'totally catastrophic'.

West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett has been pressing the Government for three weeks to use West Devon Meats as a slaughterhouse for such animals.

The Hatherleigh company is unable to slaughter animals for human consumption as it is still an infected premises, but in spite of not having any work has avoided laying off its 40 staff.

The granting of the licence to West Devon Meats was welcomed by Mr Burnett.

'This is good news. Nature doesn't stand still and there is a welfare crisis on many farms. Pig breeders are in a particularly bad situation,' he said.

'My only regret is that it has taken three weeks for this to happen. Three weeks is a long time in animal welfare.'

Mr Peter Bowyer of West Devon Meats said he was relieved and delighted to get the licence.

'We are now waiting for the first animals to arrive, and we will be able to operate at above normal capacity,' he said.

He estimated they would be able to deal with 15,000 sheep a week, 2,000 cattle a week, and up to 1,000 pigs a day.

Mr Burnett said: 'We must now have a far better compensation scheme for farmers.

'These animals have had to be fed for longer than expected, and with no resultant market for them. We need a far more generous scheme from the Government.'

l At the time of going to press there was a total of 74 cases of foot and mouth in Devon.