Dr Jenny Deaville, of the Institute of Rural Health in Newtown, mid Wales said the effects of the devastating crisis in 2001 across the community are still being felt.

High levels of stress, anxiety and depression have been identified.

Staff at the institute worked in collaboration with the University of Glamorgan and the report was commissioned by the Welsh assembly.

The foot-and-mouth crisis cost the farming industry �3bn in disease control and saw more than six million animals destroyed - more than a million in Wales - after it hit in 2001.

Dr Deaville said the mental health and well-being of the farming community -and also other rural businesses - is still an issue.

"It is important to acknowledge this and ensure that continuing support is available to these people, but also to set up better systems of support in the event of a future outbreak," she said.

Professional

"Further research is also required into the long-term impacts, especially on children affected by the outbreak," she added.

Although children were not interviewed by the report makers, more than half of parents or guardians said youngsters were affected.

The report asks whether more should be done to provide advice and training for school staff and governors to deal with children's concerns.

Half of the people surveyed said their health had been affected - but less than a quarter had asked for help from professionals since the outbreak started in 2001.

Assembly Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones said: "It was to help address these very issues that we introduced the Rural Stress Grant Scheme and other measures in the Rural Recovery Plan which have together provided some �3.5m for the relief of rural stress."