A FARMER whose livestock were slaughtered during the foot-and-mouth crisis six years ago has spoken of his sadness at the latest outbreak.

Clive Hawes, of Grange Farm, in Little Chesterton, near Bicester, was the only county farmer whose animals were culled after contracting the disease in 2001.

Mr Hawes said news of the latest outbreak brought back painful memories of the time when all 1,000 of his sheep were killed.

The 53-year-old father-of-two said: "To be honest I was very, very sad. Clearly this time the Government acted correctly by putting an immediate ban on movement. That was the fundamental error last time.

"This time they have got the knowledge and the recent history - with any luck, this will turn out to be an isolated incident."

Today, farmers were attempting to get back to work after restrictions on the movement of animals in the wake of the outbreak were relaxed.

The collection of dead animals and the movement of animals directly from farms to slaughterhouses was permissible under licence from today, following an announcement by the Government's Chief Veterinary Office Debby Reynolds.

The relaxation on restrictions came despite the announcement that livestock on a third farm adjacent to one of the previously infected premises was being culled on suspicion of foot-and-mouth.

Mr Hawes, whose farm now focuses on hay, said he would probably still have animals if he had not been hit by the first outbreak.

He said: "There's compensation for the livestock at value so I don't really think there's a financial cost but it does change one's way of life."

Other Oxfordshire farmers described the latest scare as "a body blow" - but said the Government had acted with speed.

Charles Peers, of Views Farm, Great Milton, said: "Everyone in the industry has their fingers crossed that this latest outbreak will not spread.

"It is just another body blow to the livestock industry in this country.

"But it is good to see Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn reacting as quickly as they have done - they actually look as though they care. It is in complete contrast to the dreadful way the Government dealt with the last crisis."

Roger Buswell at Lower Farm, Denton, said the whole rural economy could suffer.

He said: "People will not holiday in the country because they do not want to see great fires of burning cattle, or hear the gunshots as the cattle and other animals are killed."

At Great Holcombe Farm in Newington, Graham Howlett said: "We must just wait and see."