MORE than 30 staff at Holland's Pies have been laid off as the backlash against beef continues to savage East Lancashire's economy.

The 34 temporary workers have lost their jobs as the Baxenden-based company tries to rebuild the shattered confidence of customers.

The firm, which celebrated 60 years at Baxenden last year, is also drastically reducing British beef from most of its products.

Holland's is set to use mutton and imported beef as an alternative.

But it is retaining the troubled meat in one its pies - the minced beef and onion.

Managing director Graham March said: "As a company we firmly believe that British beef is safe. In the short-term the situation is quite serious and we are managing it on an hour-to-hour basis. "But we do believe that the business will recover and we will return to a position where we can re-employ those people we have laid off."

Meanwhile, it has emerged that French police in Lyon turned back a lorry carrying a trailer of meat belonging to Sawley-based Rose County Foods.

The trailer, which had been bound for Italy, arrived back at the company in Gisburn Road yesterday.

The firm, which earlier this week made 34 staff redundant, has also had meat trailers turned back from Ireland and Scotland.

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