THE worst may be yet to come for East Lancashire folk who are facing more colds, flu and viruses.

Top scientist Professor Qutub Syed has warned Lancashire medics that the area, which already has higher flu levels than the rest of the North West, could be hit by a late epidemic this month. He has been monitoring flu rates by consulting GPs throughout the North West.

Dr Syed, NHS North West epidemiologist, said flu levels usually peaked in early December but, in Lancashire, levels had stayed steady. In mid-December, only about 26 people per 100,000 in Lancashire consulted their doctor with flu-like symptoms, fewer than half as many as last year.

The North West average was only 20 consultations per 100,000 people, and has been slightly lower than the Lancashire average for the last two months.

A spokesman for the NHS North West region said: "More people seem to have been coming to their doctors in Lancashire, but it's impossible to say why one area is worse affected than another. Flu is spread from person to person." Pressure on beds could mean hospitals being forced to cancel non-urgent operations, he warned.

Janice Atkinson, business manager at Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust, said: "The flu doesn't seem to have hit yet, although it doesn't happen every year. Things have been pretty quiet here so far and there haven't been any bed problems."

Non-urgent surgery at Blackburn Royal Infirmary was cancelled before Christmas to leave beds free for the predicted influx of flu patients and was due to resume next Monday.

Hospital managers are now considering resuming elective surgery this week as beds are available.

Mrs Atkinson said the hospital was monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

She sadded: "All our contingency plans for dealing with an outbreak are in place so we should be prepared any time it happens."

A spokesman for Burnley NHS Trust said they had also been coping well so far and had plans for dealing with any crises.

He said double the usual number of staff had taken up the offer of a flu jab, so they hoped any flu epidemic would not affect hospital workers.