EAST Looe Town Trust has been at the centre of controversy all this week after they took steps on Monday, following advice from Caradon Council, to officially close the Wooldown field in view of the foot and mouth crisis. This meant that all members of the general public were barred from using the area and faced £5,000 if caught doing so.

However, there has been a huge outcry from dog owners, many of them telling the Trust that the only alternative for some is to walk their animals down roads which are close to fields containing livestock, and that the Wooldown is the safer alternative.

In view of these concerns, expressed by dozens of people to Caradon Council as well as to the Trust, the ban on the Wooldown was lifted on Thursday morning. Trust vice chairman, Mr Wally Scarah, consulted MAFF at their Truro office, before the decision was reached.

The Wooldown is now free to all again after only three days of closure, but the Trust are urging everyone to keep their dogs on leads and to remove all faeces. An official notice can be found in the Cornish Times public notices' columns.