SEVEN new outbreaks of foot and mouth brought heartbreak to the Ribble Valley over the weekend -- but officials today insisted: "We are still in control."

The confirmed cases - six in Bolton by Bowland and one in Paythorne - took the total to 12 since Friday, prompting farmers' leaders to accuse politicians of forgetting about the crisis until after the election.

But Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials today denied that they were downplaying the extent of the problem.

There have now been 19 confirmed cases in the Ribble Valley in less than two weeks bringing the total to 35 in Lancashire. The seven new cases were in addition to those confirmed on Friday and came just days after MAFF said the outbreak was under control.

Ribble Valley Tory candidate Nigel Evans said there were widespread fears in the Ribble Valley that a major cull of animals would take place after election day on Thursday.

He said he raised it with senior minister of agriculture David Duff last week who said there were no such plans.

Mr Evans said: "I think that it would be truly appalling if a cull was being delayed until after the election."

Thomas Binns, vice chairman of the NFU in Lancashire, said: "There is a fear that about the attitude the next government will have to the foot and mouth situation and also that the politicians don't seem to have raised the issue during the campaign.

"Although they spoke about it before the election was announced there is concern amongst farmers that it seems to have been forgotten about."

A spokesman for MAFF said today: "We are still working very hard to keep one step ahead of the disease and there is no reason to suggest we are not managing to do that.

"We would be expecting that a number of cases would still come through, but we remain very vigilant.

"We are not remotely affected by political considerations. Every case is made public within 24 hours of confirmation. There is no way in which we can hold anything back."

Six of the seven latest cases are in Bolton-by-Bowland and the small community has been stunned at a time when the worst of the disease seemed to be over. Hazel Waddington, of Stephenson's Farm, in Bolton by Bowland, would have been married to husband Fred, who died a year ago, for 17 years on Saturday -- but instead of marking the occasion the widow was confronted with the shattering news that her animals had foot and mouth.

Mrs Waddington, who took full control of the farm after her husband died, said: "This is absolutely devastating, I just don't know what I am going to do. After my husband Fred died twelve months ago it was the animals that kept me going.

"This is the end of an era. Fred lived here all his life and spent that life breeding these animals, now that is all down the drain. "I would like to build up the stock again once all this is over, but that depends how long the disease goes on."

The other cases of the disease confirmed this weekend were at Rowntree Farm, Windy Pike, near Gisburn; GE and RT Sanderson, Fooden Hall Farm, Gisburn Road, Bolton-by-Bowland; MS, TF and D Calvert, Manor House Farm, Bolton by Bowland; MS/T Craddock and Son, Flass Farm, Bolton-by-Bowland; D N and D Capstick, Yew Tree Farm, Bolton by Bowland and MS, EW and JE Gorst, Loftrans Farm in Paythorne.

Mr Edward Gorst, 60, of Loftrans Farm, who had 600 sheep and 111 cattle slaughtered over the weekend, said: "I just don't know what the future holds any more, all of our animals have gone. I have been farming here for 34 years and I have never experienced anything like it, it is unbelievable for the whole area."

Landlord of the Coach and Horses in Bolton by Bowland, Pete Midgley, 43, said: "This is a real shock. All the precautions that should have been necessary to keep the disease away from the area have been taken and yet all of a sudden we are hit with these outbreaks. No one has offered a decent explanation as to how this could happen.

"I've been here for 20 months and it is quite obvious that there is a lack of trade from people like walkers and cyclists who would normally come to the area but who are just staying away."

Roads in the Ribble Valley were due to open today after a weekend of closures caused by foot and mouth.

The A682 in Gisburn had been closed as was the A59 which leads to Gisburn. Bolton by Bowland has seen minor closures.

Schools in the area are also hit. Gisburn Primary School was due to remain closed today and tomorrow, but Bolton-by-Bowland High School will open.