A PRESTON man says that malicious rumours about the ritual sprinkling of cow's urine on products is ruining his business.

Kamal Parekh has been running RK Sweets on St Paul's Road for the past eight years and says the rumours have hurt him personally as well as his establishment.

He told Asian Image: "Being based in a majority Muslim area the rumours have affected trade enormously. People love our food and over the years we have never had a problem like this.

"Normally on a Wednesday and Saturday we are very busy but since these malicious rumours began we have been very quiet."

Mr Parekh says he needed to re-assure people that his products were safe to eat. RK Sweets sells savouries and Asian delicacies such as Jalebis and Mathai.

"We buy from the same suppliers as many other shops in the region and the sweets and savouries are made by myself.

"We have been visited by the health inspectors and they found nothing wrong and we have a certificate to prove it."

The rumours materialised in Leicester and then spread nationwide with Hindu establishments being targeted.

Leicester City Council have since stated that they are 'not aware of any food business in the city being cautioned or prosecuted in connection with the presence in food of cow's urine.'

Preston City Council's Environmental Health team have also found no evidence of the practice.

The situation was also brought to the attention of Home Office Minister Angela Eagle at a meeting recently in London where members of the Hindu community asked for her urgent attention to help Hindu businesses being affected by attacks.

Mr Parekh added: "The accusations are total rubbish.

"My family has been in the food business for forty years and it would be very foolish of me to do something like this knowing that I have many valued customers."

"Anybody who has any doubts can contact me personally I will be more than willing to help."