The Western Daily Press has launched a new campaign calling for a full public inquiry into the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

It follows moves by the Western Morning News, the Newcastle Journal and the Western Mail, which have linked up to put pressure on the Government.

As the crisis continues to hit farmers and rural businesses across the country, the paper has mounted pressure on Tony Blair, telling him that three private inquiries and no public one is “simply not good enough”.

The Western Daily Press also plans to send a copy of the paper to 10 Downing Street each day to emphasise its views and those of the readers.

The newspaper is hoping that hard-hitting accounts from local people who have been affected by the disease will help convince the Government to hold a full public inquiry.

It promises: “Over the next few weeks we will bring you their clarion cry so loud that you cannot ignore it”.

One local farmer kept a 24-hour watch for 12 days over his animals through fear of having them culled and during a period of eight weeks in the crisis, he suffered two heart attacks and is now semi-retired.

The paper makes it clear to Mr Blair that it believes people who have been affected deserve a public inquiry.

It also questions why the other inquiries are being held behind closed doors.

The opinion column read: “Just what are you afraid of, Mr Blair?

“The only way we will all know that all the right questions have been asked is through a public inquiry. Do not insult us by expecting us to accept less.”

Meanwhile, the government is standing by its decision as a spokeswoman confirmed on August 16: “There are no plans to change the status of the inquiries that have been announced.”

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