FARMING and the food and drink industry in West Somerset and the rest of the South West could be badly affected by a no-deal Brexit, the Government has been warned.

And the overall effect on the region could be as bad as the foot and mouth crisis of 2001.

The Heart of the South West Joint Committee and Local Enterprise Partnership have sent a letter to minister Michael Gove saying that without comprehensive mitigation in place, a no-deal Brexit could result in significant business closures and a fundamental impact on Devon and Somerset.

The partnership, which includes Somerset County Council and Exmoor National Park Authority, said the area could see conditions not seen in rural communities since the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, which took nine months to bring under control and cost the UK £8 billion.

The letter says: “... We cannot ignore the fact that no deal remains a possible outcome.

“One of the most at risk business sectors and the sector most likely to see the most immediate impact from no deal is farming, food and the drink industry.

“A no-deal scenario, without a comprehensive and cross-Government mitigation plan in place, could create conditions that have not been seen in our rural communities since foot and mouth."Read the full letter and report in today's Free Press.