A £50 MILLION aid plan to help rural Lancashire get over the effects of foot and mouth was unveiled today.

Spearheaded by Lancashire County Council and initially bankrolled by £16million of government money, the Lancashire Rural Recovery Plan aims to help create new businesses, promote firms and help farmers get over the crisis. Details of the new project have been welcomed by farmers representatives and MPs

The £16million of North West Development Agency cash will kickstart a range of projects, including support for new tourist attractions and better marketing of the county.

Rural businesses will also be boosted, with support for farming and other agriculture businesses wanting to diversify to stay viable. New business premises will be created to attract firms into the countryside.

Courses which teach new skills and encourage people to gain new qualifications away from traditional industries will also be set up.

At the same time, new environmental attractions will be created. Footpaths across the countryside will also be better maintained, signed and promoted to draw in more visitors who will, in turn, spend money in the area.

Coun Brian Johnson, in charge of regeneration at Lancashire County Council, said: "A management committee has been set up which will oversee all these projects. It includes local authorities, land owners, businesses, the community sector, government agencies and local environmental groups.

"The plan will secure £16million of NWDA funding over the next five years which we think will bring in £50million extra in terms of outside investment over that time."

A spokesman for the NFU said: "The rural economy needs all the help it can get to ensure that agriculture plays a big part in our future."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "This is good news but I hope that this is spread fairly across all of Lancashire. I am a little bit concerned about the use of the word rural as in the past aid has not been available to firms in Hyndburn."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "This money is too late. We need to know now how it will be distributed."