A COUPLE who moved from Liverpool to take over a Horwich shop claim the foot-and-mouth crisis HAS affected business.

Lesley and Stephen Fearon took over the general store in Chorley New Road in August.

Now they having second thoughts as their profits have dropped since the outbreak in March.

The couple, who have two children, expected the past couple of months to have been their busiest with the usual steady stream of ramblers and tourists in the area.

But because moorland and footpaths around Horwich and Rivington have been closed because of foot-and-mouth restrictions, the Fearons believe many small businesses have lost out on passing trade.

Lesley, aged 36, said: "I think all of Horwich has been hit.

"We cannot believe the foot-and-mouth problem would affect us so much.

"The banks have been giving farmers and guest house owners leeway in Cumbria, but not people like us who are struggling.

"This was a whole new venture for us and we feel under pressure having taken on a new business anyway without any of these problems."

Landlord Trevor Millington from the Squirrel in Bolton Road agreed with the Fearons.

He said: "I've lost out big time. I rely on ramblers very heavily for my lunchtime trade, especially on Saturdays and Sundays.

"My takings are way down with the Pike being shut.

"A lot of pubs in Horwich don't open at lunchtime, so I usually get ramblers coming here, leaving their car, going for a walk up the Pike and then coming back to the pub for some lunch or a drink.

"This all comes on the back of eight months of rain, so I just hope the restricted land is opened up again soon."

Cllr Barbara Ronson said: "Foot-and-mouth is affecting Rivington and the north of Horwich.

"Anyone in any area with tourism will suffer.

"I've got sympathy with all the businesses which are affected because of this."