SHEEP and pigs culled in the foot and mouth epidemic could arrive in Burnley for burial next week, it was revealed today.

MP Peter Pike and Burnley Council chiefs were today urgently seeking clarification from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs after the company operating the former Ford Quarries site at Deerplay said it had been asked to prepare the area to receive animals.

A spokesman for the company, Buckinghamshire-based Shank, said it received verbal notification last week from DEFRA to prepare the site to receive non-infected animals, culled as a precaution after being in dangerous contact or on land close to infected areas.

The spokesman, Vickie Fox, said the site was now being made ready and would be able to take animals for burial from Monday.

But she added the company was still seeking written clarification from the Department.

Although the epidemic has slowed dramatically in recent weeks there are still new cases occurring in the Thirsk area of Yorkshire.

Today a spokesman for DEFR said she knew of no plans for burials at any site in the north including Deerplay.

A public meeting to discuss concerns over the possible burials has been called by Cliviger Parish Council in the village hall tomorrow night.

Concern has been expressed by council spokesman Tony Harrison and MP Mr Pike that the development cuts across assurances given in March that there would be no burial of carcases at Deerplay.

Then David Duff, a regional director of DEFRA's predecessor MAFF, told a public meeting in Cliviger: "We have not used Deerplay, we are not using Deerplay and we have no plans to use Deerplay."

Although he did say he could not predict what would happen in three months, six months or two years' time.

Mr Pike said: "I am still awaiting a response from DEFR to several urgent key points on possible carcass disposal at Deerplay.

"The position does not seem in accord with that agreed in March."

Mr Harrison said there were real fears that any burials could affect spring water supplies to nearby homes.

"The company has been extremely helpful, but we are getting no answers from the Department," he added.