RURAL businesses in Gwent face a bleak winter as the effects of foot-and-mouth continue, a countryside chief has warned.

Bob Greening, Monmouthshire's field officer for the Country Land Association, said the end of the crisis came too late for many rural businesses.

He said: "Small businesses such as farmhouse bed and breakfasts have had little if any trade due to the crisis and the restrictions have been lifted at the end of the season.

"By the time spring comes they will have to pay out money to advertise for the summer - money they simply cannot afford."

Colin and Daphne Gardiner of Gellirhyd Farm, Llangenny, near Crickhowell, have provided a bed and breakfast service for 10 years.

They sold their stock two years ago, and diversified to produce and sell their own apple juice - which helped them survive the crisis.

Mr Gardiner said: "Trade is down compared to last year. Our bed and breakfast trade has been severely affected but our diversification programme probably saved us.

"If there are no visitors then there is no trade and hotels, local shops and businesses heavily on people coming into the area."

The repercussions were also felt at Tyn y Bryn Farm, Deriside, Abergavenny, where owner Chris Belcham runs his bed and breakfast and self-catering cottages.

He said: "Unfortunately the lifting of the restrictions have come too late in the year for us and we've lost a year's income. We have to look forward to next spring and summer now and start to advertise."

He added: "The heart has been ripped out of Monmouthshire. Tourism is the biggest industry in Monmouthshire, if not Wales, and farmers need to change with the times or get left behind."

The shockwaves of foot-and-mouth even reached many town centres.

Abergavenny's Chamber of Trade president Ian Shackleton said: "It definitely affected business and trade within Abergavenny.

"There was an air of confusion and a reduction in the number of visitors coming to the town, which obviously had an affect on trade."