A MEAT firm has made 70 workers redundant and put more than 200 others on short-time working as the beef scare takes a growing toll on jobs and businesses in East Lancashire.

The move by Woodhead Brothers confirmed the worst fears of its workers at its plant on Whitewalls Industrial Estate, Colne. The firm said it hoped the lay-offs and two-day week would be short-term moves until the crisis over mad cow disease is resolved.

Company secretary Trevor Cornthwaite said: "We are deeply saddened and disappointed that following the massive reduction in beef orders which accounted for over 60 per cent of our business, we have had to terminate the employment of over 70 employees and lay off the remaining workforce of over 200 for two days a week until further notice.

"We have been anxiously awaiting further developments and announcements from the Government all this week, but unfortunately nothing significant has been forthcoming in order to prevent us from having to take what has now become unavoidable action in order to protect the business and hopefully safeguard as many jobs as possible for the future.

"We sincerely hope the lay-offs which followed full consultation with the union will be short-term and we will continue to consult with both the union and employees on a weekly basis." The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers deputy general secretary Bill Connor said: "The workers in the slaughtering and processing industry are helpless victims of a crisis that they had no part in bringing about. We feel that they should be the first to get financial assistance if they are denied the opportunity to work."

Pendle Council leader Councillor Alan Davies said: "There's no doubt that redundancies are a disaster for anyone at any time. When they're not of the making of the individual or the company that it's even worse.

"It's clearly got to be down to the inept handling of the situation by the Government.

"We can only hope that something is done quickly to resolve the matter."

The beef crisis is taking an increasing toll on firms in East Lancashire.

Earlier this week, Baxenden-based Hollands Pies laid off 34 casual staff.

In France, police turned back a trailer of meat belonging to Sawley-based Rose County Foods, which also made more than 30 redundant this week.

Ken Ashworth, director of Rossendale Meat Company in Whitewell Bottom, said its five slaughterhouse staff were now working a four-day week, but the company was hopeful there would be no further cuts.

He said the company traded only with butchers and so was not affected to the same extent as companies which dealt in exporting meat, but added some of his clients had reported an increase in trade compared with last week and one or two even said they had done good business.

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