A PIE firm struggling to survive the BSE catastrophe has been forced to chop its workforce for the second time in a month.

The jobs blow was revealed as bosses at Holland's Pies were preparing to welcome Shadow Agriculture Minister Gavin Strang to the Baxenden factory today.

About 14 part-time staff were laid off last night as the backlash against beef continued to affect sales of the famous pies.

Last month, more than 30 workers were given their cards although the company managed to take some of them back on.

But managing director Graham March confirmed today that the casual staff re-employed had now been laid off again.

He said: "We are keeping our numbers in line with production requirements. We brought some staff back to help raise our stock levels, but now those levels are up sales have not come back significantly. The BSE scare has had a significant effect on the whole pie market. It is a confused situation in the consumers' minds and we need to convince them that British beef is safe.

"There is also a belief that pies contain poor quality meat, but that is just not true."

Mr Strang was talking to managers and staff at the factory about possible ways of ending the Mad Cow scare.

He has led the condemnation of the Government's handling of the crisis and has been at the forefront of meetings with farmers, meat exporters, wholesalers and butchers.

Meanwhile, Hyndburn MP Greg Pope has called for "desperate" action to end the BSE calamity.

He said: "It is terrible that people are being laid off. The Government has handled the affair badly and showed no leadership whatsoever."

Holland's Pies, which celebrated 60 years at Baxenden last year, has drastically reduced British beef from most of its products since the scare. It is now using mutton and imported beef as an alternative.

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