CAMPAIGNING East Lancashire MP Lindsay Hoyle will today ask a government minister to veto Lancashire County Council plans to end the hot meals on wheels service.

He is horrified by the plan to replace them with weekly or monthly supplies of frozen meals which he has described as "disgraceful."

He raised the issue in Parliament with Leader of the Commons Geoff Hoon last month and was told to seek a special Adjournment Debate, which he has now secured.

A minister from the Deputy Prime Minister's department will answer Mr Hoyle's plea.

Chorley MP Mr Hoyle said the total saving was less than £800,000 a year.

And he said that elderly people, who get a hot meal and a chat from volunteers from the Women's Royal Voluntary Service who deliver the meals, would have to put the meals in the freezer and heat them up in a microwave or oven.

He said: "I am absolutely delighted to get the debate. It's an absolutely great opportunity to raise a very important issue about the danger to pensioners and other vulnerable people.

"I shall be asking the minister to stop Lancashire County Council ending the meals on wheels service.

"Its not just the food but also the fact that the volunteers can talk to lonely people and check that they are all right. This is too important a service to lose."