A PACKAGING company which supplies goods to LBS Horticulture in Colne has received a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £520 after it was discovered a batch of polythene stretch wrap they produced had been cut too short.

It was revealed that 162 rolls of the wrap, sold by United Packaging plc, of Cleckheaton to LBS, were cut 12.9 per cent shorter than the 300 metres expected.

An officer from Lancashire Trading Standards visited LBS Horticulture on October 10 last year after information was passed from the trade organisation PIFA that the company was in possession of short length roles.

It was revealed that 27 boxes of the polythene wrap, used by the company to protect palatised products while in transport, was not the correct length.

Nick McNamara, of Lancashire Trading Standards, told magistrates at Reedley Court that LBS was not to blame as a retailer and the responsibility lay with United Packaging plc.

Fiona Carter, defending, said there was no intent by United Packaging and they had received no financial gain.

She explained that the first United Packaging knew about the problem was when trading standards visited LBS.

She said that checks were immediately put in place to correct the problem but said that weight checks were previously carried out to ensure the public were getting what they paid for.

Mrs Carter said: "The company were not cutting corners or benefiting in any way. They regret that on occasion the customer did not get the 300 metre length."

United Packaging, formed in 1740, had never before figured as defendants in a court action. The company pleaded guilty to the offence.

A conditional discharge was given after mitigating circumstances were take into account, such as a prompt guilty plea, no intent and no beneficial gain and the fact the company reimbursed LBS for the rolls seized.