Visitors to Barnet Horse Fair next week will be stepping over disinfectant-soaked mats as a precaution against foot-and-mouth.

Organisers of the historic fair have pledged it will go ahead, despite ongoing fears of a resurgence in the disease. The three-day event which kicks off at Green Gate Stables in Mays Lane, Barnet, on Tuesday is now in its 413th year.

Ann Butterworth, who organises the annual horse fair with husband Keith, confirmed: "We have had permission from Barnet Council to hold it. Obviously we will be taking strict precautions against foot-and-mouth.

"We will have a wheel bath in the gateway and all vehicles will have their tyres sprayed with special disinfectant."

The Butterworths believe foot-and-mouth might actually help the fair top last year's 500-or-so visitors. The equally-famous Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria was cancelled in June when foot-and-mouth was at its peak.

"Most of the traders from the north will still come, they will want to get out and about having had so many events cancelled this year," Mrs Butterworth said. "We are also expecting a record number of stalls and it is nice because there has been a lot of interest from borough traders."

The fair will see an estimated 1,000 horses of all kinds passing through. Horses cannot catch foot-and-mouth, which can decimate other livestock such as cows and sheep, but can act as carriers. Earlier this year organisers of Barnet Carnival decided to cancel the event because of fears of bringing the disease to the borough.