SHOPPERS heading for a town centre supermarket were greeted by rival staff handing out leaflets encouraging them to shop elsewhere.

Staff from Asda handed out the promotional 'fliers' promoting their store, outside the entrance to Morrisons in the Boulevard, which was closed for business yesterday.

The leaflets said: "We're open when you need us. Your local Asda is open as usual on Thursday, December 27."

The pair, wearing jackets with Asda written on them said: "It's all above board and legal."

But management at the Blackburn Asda store refused to comment on the move.

A deputy manager at Morrisons today said the store was closed to give staff a three-day break, but declined to comment further.

Local traders were on Asda's side and criticised Morrisons for keeping their doors shut when many others retailers had opened for business.

Pauline Vaughan, joint owner of the Blackburn Record Exchange and also a member of the Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said: "It was Morrisons' choice not to open, wasn't it?

"I think a shop like that in the town centre is a service to the community, They owe it to the local people to do so. It does make them pivotal to the community.

"They have a multi-faith staff and so there was no reason they could not open. Other shops have opened.

"I think if the situation had been reversed, Morrisons would have done the same to Asda.

"But it is the local people who do not have access to their own transport who must not be forgotten in this. There will be people who will have caught the bus or a taxi specially to come and do their shopping.

"For those people, it was an exercise in information, and they will have been glad to find out that Asda was open."

She added that she had witnessed the same exercise last year.