THE EPICENTRE of the foot and mouth outbreak in Devon‚ Hatherleigh, was thrown into the spotlight again yesterday (Wednesday) as it became the focus for the man leading a Government-instructed independent inquiry into the crisis.

Hatherleigh was chosen for the first visit 'on the street' by Dr Iain Anderson who is at the helm of the 'Lessons Learned' inquiry — one of three separate inquiries set-up by the Government.

At a press conference at Hatherleigh Market just a day after the Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry Report 'Crisis and Opportunity' was published, Dr Anderson stressed that the process would be completely independent, with views of the public gauged through a series of public meetings and one-to-one and group meetings with individuals and representatives.

Dr Anderson, who also paid a visit to the controversial Ash Moor pit near Petrockstowe during his two-day stay in the county, said he had been given categorical assurances from Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Head of the Civil Service that all Government employees would co-operate 'to the limit'.

'All the information we need to access will be given to us,' said Dr Anderson, who held his first public meeting in the Charter Hall in Okehampton last night. 'Everything we collate will be published at the end of the day for everyone to see and so far no-one has refused to talk to me.

'This inquiry will be completely independent and there is no doubt I will be critical of the Government if the evidence and the facts point that way.'

Dr Anderson said he would be meeting with local farmers, some of whom had been under form D restrictions and were angry about the lack of Government compensation, and some strong case arguments had also been made to him about the issues of controls and tagging.

'We are in the very early stages of this inquiry and it would not be right for me at the moment to give any views — but I am listening and doing my best to understand all the issues,' he said.

The inquiry leader, who will make regular visits to Devon over the next two months to get all the facts, said he had been struck by the remarkable sense of resilience in Hatherleigh.

'There is still hurt here, and that is not surprising given what has happened but there is a growing sense of determination to look forward,' he said.

'My job is to look for any lessons to be learned from this tragedy, and the report will make recommendations to the Government for the handling of any future animal disease.'

Chief executive of West Devon Borough Council David Incoll said he was delighted that Hatherleigh had been chosen for Dr Anderson's first visit to the county.

'Hatherleigh epitomises the crisis — the problems facing agriculture before foot and mouth and the detrimental effect the outbreak has had on the whole economy,' he said.

Mayor of Hatherleigh Dennis Bater said he was very impressed by Dr Anderson, who seemed to be willing to listen to everybody's views and was 'very down to earth'.

'We will now have to wait and see what his recommendations are and whether the Government takes any notice,' he said.

Professor Michael Winter, who is chairman of a group set up to help regenerate Hatherleigh in the wake of foot and mouth, said many different issues had been discussed with Dr Anderson from the lack of MAFF information to unnecessary culls, the Ash Moor pit and the relationship between farming and tourism.

'I will be amazed if this inquiry is some sort of whitewash — it is entitled Lessons Learned, after all, and everyone recognises mistakes were made,' he said.

l See pages 2 and 3.