A HELP centre in Hatherleigh offering support and advice to farmers and businesses affected by the foot and mouth crisis closed on Friday.

West Devon Borough Council said it had gone as far as it could with the centre in Hatherleigh Methodist Chapel which was open for two months at the height of the crisis.

But members of the Council for Voluntary Service, who manned the centre, believe it will be most in need in the coming weeks and months when farmers realise the full potential of their loss.

Press officer for the council Alison Stoneham said there were many other agencies which could help on the emotional side.

'Numbers visiting the centre have dropped off significantly,' she said. 'There is no doubt it has been a great success but we feel we have given as much help as we could as far as the centre goes.

'The Methodist Chapel kindly let us use their building but we could not stay their indefinitely.'

She added that the borough council was under no obligation to provide the service but it felt it had to do something to help.

Another reason for the closure is the regeneration initiative, 'The Hatherleigh Area Project', which goes on-line next week. Deacon House in the town square will be used as an office to house a development worker appointed to work with the community in getting the area back on its feet.

Mrs Stoneham said an assistant would also be working in the office and anyone needing emotional help would be redirected to the relevant agencies.

'There are a lot of stress-related groups out there such as the Rural Stress Information Network and the Farm Crisis Network who can delve a lot further into these kind of problems,' she said.

The Hatherleigh Area Project has been funded by the South West Regional Development Agency and West Devon Borough Council and one of the aim's of the development worker is to draw down funds for projects to boost the economy of the area, including some of the £1-million recently announced for Hatherleigh in the Government's market town initiative.

Okehampton and District CVS member Sue Bizley said a lot of farmers had been working for MAFF, disinfecting premises, and their time was taken up at the moment but they would need help once that worked stop.

'There is a bit of a lull at the moment but farmers are still being supported by MAFF. The next crunch will be when everybody has gone and they are on their own. It's like a bereavement.'

She said the centre was as much a place where people could just come in and talk about their problems as a place to get advice.

Manager of the CVS Carmel Fanconi said she would be keeping a watching brief on the area so a response could be raised if it was needed.

'I think it will be another three months before we know what the real effects of the foot and mouth crisis are going to be,' she said.