IT should be business as usual in Lancashire as the new year dawns, according to the Government's watchdog on the millennium bug.

Companies and organisations responsible for essential services such as electricity and water supply in the county are well prepared, according to Action 2000's latest report.

"A tremendous amount of work has been carried out since we last reported in July," said Action 2000's chairman Don Cruickshank.

"I am confident that the UK will suffer no material disruption due to the millennium bug.

"The very few organisations yet to finish are under the most intense scrutiny and will not be at risk."

Mr Cruickshank said that since 1998 the 10,000 organisations in the country responsible for essential services had been independently assessed.

"No other country in the world has matched the breadth, scope and rigour of assessment that we have carried out."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.