The members of the Association of Swill Users (ASU) lodged a High Court claim yesterday against the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The papers allege that Jim Dring, a vet working for the Government department then known as Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - later to become Defra - could have done more to prevent foot-and-mouth spreading from a Northumberland farm.

The 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth led to 6.5m animals being slaughtered and is estimated to have cost the UK up to £8bn.

But the ASU alleges it could have been prevented if Mr Dring, of Farnley Grange, Corbridge, Northumberland, had been more stringent in his inspection of the pig rearing business run by Bobby Waugh at Burnside Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall.

Source: ic Newcastle.co.uk