THE Prime Minister is 'getting a grip' on the foot and mouth crisis, according to a Hatherleigh farmer who managed to speak to Tony Blair during his visit to Devon last Saturday.

Sonia Lindsay, whose animals at Holmes Farm have fallen victim to the disease sweeping West Devon, was one of the few farmers at the meeting at the regional MAFF offices in Exeter.

Miss Lindsay, who is also a Liberal Democrat West Devon Borough councillor representing the Lew Valley ward, said: 'He was extremely sympathetic, very open and down to earth. He offered us maximum resources, he asked the army whether they had contingency plans, which they said they had.

'I said could he possibly control his scientists and officials so they didn't say they were going to do what they couldn't do.'

Miss Lindsay said she was convinced that the Prime Minister is in no doubt about the severity of the situation.

'I think he does know. He has been very well briefed actually. He wants to speed things up between confirmation and slaughter. We were guaranteed that the vets will come quickly. "If you want more, scream, you can have them" he said.'

'I would say he was definitely getting a grip on the situation. As Tony Gibson said, we wanted a foot and mouth tsar and he is that man,' said Miss Lindsay, who felt the Prime Minister was 'quite affected' by what he had heard in Exeter.

Miss Lindsay lived through the awful experience of losing her stock last week and admitted that the last month has been like 'living on a knife-edge'.

She lost 120 ewes who were in the middle of lambing, plus 16 cattle, 'small beer' in comparison to some holdings but still shocking, said Miss Lindsay.

She said the efficiency of the vet meant her farm was dealt with very quickly.

'We were diagnosed at 4pm on Tuesday, they were valued and shot on Wednesday, which was exactly how it should be.

'The disposal was still a nightmare though,' said Miss Lindsay.

Her animals were taken away from the farm and burned on Friday night.