A NEW case of foot and mouth has been confirmed in the Ribble Valley taking the total to 21.

Ministry of Agriculture officials said the latest case was at Part Harpers Farm, in Newsholme, near Gisburn.

It was not established how many animals are on site but all are expected to be culled today.

Officials from the foot and mouth headquarters in Gisburn, dedicated to halting the rapid spread of the disease in the Ribble Valley, were on site yesterday and have set up a 3km exclusion zone.

The latest outbreak came on the day a local farmer pleaded with government officials to close the Ribble Valley.

Sarah Bolton, whose farm -- which she runs with her parents -- was one of the earliest farms in Sawley to be confirmed as having foot and mouth among its stock last month, believes the disease which is wrecking the farming industry will not be controlled until stricter controls are brought in.

Police today said they wouldn't hesitate to prosecute people found breaking the law, while Lancashire County Council has started placing 'footpath open' signs across the county, with people being told to assume paths are closed if they can't see a sign. Across non-affected areas, footpaths and roads have slowly opened, while in affected areas Sarah says she regularly sees people tramping across supposedly out-of-bounds fields and roads. Sarah, whose farm is run by parents Michael and Linda Bolton, whose Bank Top Farm, Sawley Road, lost 100 cattle, 100 calves and 21 sheep after she spotted one of their cows frothing at the mouth, said: "The only way to truly combat this disease is to close the whole area to anyone who doesn't need to come here.

"There needs to be a total shutdown. There are already reports that the disease has been spread in some areas by a milk tanker which shows how easily it can go around. We need to contain it totally, and not let anyone who really doesn't need to be here in."

The family have already taken action themselves, with one of Sarah's sisters being ordered to stay away from the farm as she normally commutes long distances.

Her other sister, Catherine, has not attended school recently. Initially it was in an attempt to stop her bringing the disease on to the farm, but more recently it has been to stop her spreading it.

"People need to understand this is not a joke, this is for real," added Sarah. "It keeps spreading and action needs to be taken before the whole Valley is killed off.

"Just because the election is taking a front seat on the news doesn't mean this problem has gone away. People need to stay away altogether."

People who are found roaming in infected areas risk being fined £5,000.

A police spokesman said: "People must understand they will be prosecuted if they are breaking the law by walking where they shouldn't be."

Signs are currently being placed throughout the area by Lancashire County Council to say if a path is open.

If no sign is on a path, walkers are being advised to assume it is closed.

A spokesman for MAFF, which is co-ordinating the operation to control foot and mouth, said: "Road closures are down to the police and paths down to the council.

"We only advise where should be closed off using the advice of specialists."