LARGE areas of Forestry Commission land on the Hampshire-Dorset border are opening this weekend - with a warning that people who don't keep their dogs on leads will be prosecuted.

The New Forest is still very firmly closed because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, and there will be no caravanning or camping in the vicinity over the Easter period.

However, restrictions have been eased in some county boundary areas - these include the whole of Ringwood Forest, although a small southern part and the Moors Valley Country Park have already reopened.

A short distance away, the 'keep out' signs have been taken down at Hurn Forest, Uddons, White Sheep and Queen's Copse.

Further west, the barriers are also disappearing at the Wareham main forest block, which includes the Seeker trail, while Morton Forest and the Affpuddle Trail, as well as the Culpepper Dish, Gore Heath and Hethfelton, are accessible again.

However, there is a strict warning from the Commission that people must obey the "keep your dogs on a lead" rule.

Commission communications spokeswoman Helen Wood says anyone who fails to keep a dog on a lead after a request by any official of the Commission, will be breaking a Forestry Commission by-law. This request, written on signs signed by deputy surveyor Donald Thompson, will be going up at access points.

Miss Wood said action will be taken against offenders - "The issue is so important that we have to go down that road," she said.

The move follows problems at Moors Valley, where some dog owners have been flouting the restriction and leaving dogs off their leads.