HUNDREDS of supermarket workers in East Lancashire are celebrating their share of a multi-million pound windfall.

Superstore chain Asda, which employs more than 1,000 people at its Accrington, Blackburn, Burnley, Colne and Rawtenstall stores, has handed out 11.6 million free company shares worth £24 million to staff.

The handout is under the firm's employees share ownership scheme - the biggest of its kind in the country.

Share options equivalent to 25 per cent of salaries are given each year to employees who have completed 12 months service and the options can be exercised after three and six years. The profit over the option price is distributed to employees in shares.

Shares worth an average of almost £900 per employee have been handed out under the first wave of the scheme.

A further 20,000 employees are in line to receive shares over the next two years. More than four out of five employees now own share options.

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