MP JOHN Burnett has called a crisis meeting on Saturday at West Devon Council's Kilworthy Park offices in Tavistock to discuss the emergency with local NFU representatives, members of Dartmoor Commoners' Council, borough councillors and representatives from the tourism industry.
'I telephoned the borough council on Monday and told them this was a catastrophe. I called for a meeting to be set up of all interested parties so that we speak with one voice for West Devon.
'I will be co-ordinating the many aspects and pleas for assistance from West Devon in this crisis and will put them to Michael Meacher, the minister who is heading the Government's new task force for areas affected by foot and mouth.
'I am determined to make the Government listen to us.'
Mr Burnett said he believed West Devon would be the first local authority area to hold such an 'all-embracing' meeting of all interested parties to highlight the plight of the borough.
And West Devon's prospective Tory candidate, Geoffrey Cox, in a letter to the Times this week, calls for party political differences to be put aside during the crisis — see page 4.