Foot and mouth disease is threatening to ruin a children's safety event co-ordinated by Thames Valley Police.

Organisers of the southern Oxfordshire Junior Citizen programme are desperately appealing for a new venue because Government restrictions brought in to contain the spread of the disease could affect their normal base.

The annual safety event for ten and 11-year-olds usually takes place at the Dalton Barracks in Abingdon.

But the area is surrounded by sheep and it is uncertain if permission to move them will come in time for the three-week event, which is due to start on June 11.

The safety event, which includes contributions from the police, the county council, Southern Electric and St John Ambulance, gives children scenarios to teach them important safety lessons.

Builder Paul Carter, of Appleton, will construct a mini building site, to be manned by Abingdon College students, for lessons in construction site safety.

Pc Colin Cox, southern Oxfordshire police area's school liaison officer, said: "Unless we find a new venue quickly, we are going to have a thousand disappointed children on our hands.

"We have run this programme for more than ten years and the children get a lot out of it. I've had college students come up to me who remember doing their Junior Citizen programme and look back on it with fondness."

In order to run the programme, police are looking for a venue in southern Oxfordshire. It must have toilet facilities and ideally have a large room and several other smaller rooms or offices to run the scenarios.

There must also be room outside for the mini building site.

Pc Cox said: "We have no money to pay for a venue so we are relying on people's goodwill to help us with this."

Anyone who thinks they can help should call Pc Cox or Pc Bill Russell on 01235 556931.