Tourism leaders in Sussex are holding their breath as the foot and mouth crisis hits Easter bookings.

Sussex's tourism industry is facing hard times and bookings for the Easter holiday are down outside the urban centres such as Brighton and Hove.

The disease is having a knock on effect in Sussex despite the fact that the county is not only free of foot-and-mouth.

Tourism is worth an estimated £746 million a year in Sussex, with the period between Easter and the May Day bank holiday accounting for 25 to 30 per cent of annual trade. Agriculture is worth about £225 million a year.

Mark Dowling, of the South-East England Tourist Board, said: "If we get a decent summer in terms of the weather we might get away with it. I don't detect an air of desperation - not yet."

The board's visitor attraction of the year, Drusillas Zoo Park, Alfriston, lost about £120,000 when it closed for the first three weeks of the crisis.

It has now reopened, although the farmyard area is still closed and visitors have to disinfect their car tyres and shoes, and managing director Laurence Smith said visitors were arriving in their usual numbers.

He said: "I think it is now weather-dependent. If it is pouring with rain they won't come. If it is sunny and spring-like they will."

Others among Sussex's top attractions are not faring as well, especially those which rely on foreign visitors.

In East Sussex alone, the industry is losing an estimated £1 million a week.

Fears have risen after it emerged yesterday that two landfill sites in West Sussex could be used to bury hundreds of animal carcasses.

The landfill sites at Warnham and Small Dole have been earmarked to dispose of dead animals culled in other parts of the country.

County council chiefs demanded an immediate meeting with ministers amid fears it could allow the virus to gain a toe-hold in Sussex.

There was also anger among farmers, who said a shortage of disinfectant centres in Sussex meant it was difficult to comply with hygiene regulations.

The number of confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth passed 1,000 yesterday while the number of animals slaughtered or condemned was more than one million.

The National Trust has begun reopening some of its countryside attractions, among them the Devil's Dyke and Highdown Hill.

Areas where animals graze, such as Birling Gap and Cissbury Ring, will stay shut.

The Forestry Commission has followed suit and reopened some woodland, including parts of Friston Forest, Battle Great Wood and St Leonard's Wood, Crawley. Countryside footpaths are still shut.

Neither East or West Sussex County Councils are heeding the Government's urgings to reopen paths in foot-and-mouth free areas.

Both councils had meetings this week with farmers, landowners and tourism bosses but decided countryside footpaths should stay shut.

Bob Wilkins, director of transport and environment at East Sussex, said: "At the moment we would like to keep most footpaths closed until we are absolutely certain, rather than be sorry in a few weeks' time."