FOOT and Mouth has devastated many farms, businesses and tourism in East Lancashire.

Many people judge the Pendle Hill's Hallowe'en tradition as the latest victim.

DEFRA has been accused in the past of taking its time when deciding when to lift restrictions. The NUF and farmers criticised DEFRA for waiting six months after the last case in the Withnell and Great Harwood before lifting bans back in August.

After more than two months without a case, people in Pendle feel it could be feasible to lift the restrictions, even if it's just for Hallowe'en.

And further afield people are calling for access to the hill.

John Burke, landlord of the Albion Inn, in Clayton-le-Moors, has been going to the site for 15 years. He said: "You meet people there from all over the country, even Europe. There's not been a case of foot and mouth for months and it's a real shame that people can't go up there this year.

"I feel sorry for the pubs and restaurants, this is the busiest time of year for them and their trade will be hit by this, and the pagans make pilgrimages to the place. I think it should be opened."

Keith Rickwood, the manager of the Pendle Inn, Barley, said they had already altered their opening times to close between 3pm and 6pm because foot and mouth restrictions had damaged trade.

"It's going to be dead this year," he said, "It's normally really good fun. We have a special do with locals and people who have travelled in."

Peter Hampson, the owner of the Pendle Witch pub, Sabden, said: "It will kill us. It will be stone dead when it's normally one of the busiest nights of the year.

Businesses would prefer a return to normality, as would tourists, who have been fascinated by the hill ever since the early 1600s when the Pendle witches were hanged at Lancaster Castle.

People have also been known to set up camp on the night out of curiosity.

Without this, East Lancashire would lose much of the spirit of Hallowe'en.