A UNION boss today claimed staff were leaving their jobs at an East Lancashire council because they refuse to work with British National Party councillors.

Unison Branch Secretary Peter Thorne said at least three members of staff had quit their jobs at Burnley council as a direct result of the election of the far right party councillors.

He also said the council was struggling to recruit new staff to key posts because of the influence of the BNP and the reputation they had given the town and its council.

Mr Thorne said: "It is very worrying. I know some staff have left the council specifically because of the election of the British National Party councillors. One worker left last year when they were first elected to the council and another two left this year when it became clear they weren't going to go away.

"These people and others feel very strongly that they cannot work with councillors who belong to a far right party and the ones who left have taken a principled stance."

Senior Labour councillor Peter Kenyon said: "There are a number of members of staff who are particularly anxious about the prospect of having to work with the BNP and I understand that and it may have been a factor in them leaving.

"We do have a number of difficulties in recruiting to some posts and I have no doubt that the image of Burnley outside the borough is a factor which puts some people off."

Leader of the BNP in the council chamber, Len Starr, of Hapton with Park ward, said: "If somebody can afford to pack a job in because of the presence of the BNP then it can't have been a job worth having. If the union want to name these people so we can have a talk that is fine, but until then I treat these claims with disdain."