A SUPERMARKET'S town centre petrol station will close early in the New Year because it could become a danger to the public.

The petrol station at Morrisons Supermarket, in High Street, Blackburn, will stop serving at 4.30pm on Sunday January 5.

The decision follows a routine risk assessment of the ground floor car park petrol station by the supermarket's own inspectors.

They gave their findings to Blackburn with Darwen Council officials, who then returned with a list of improvements that needed to be made if it was to meet health and safety requirements.

But bosses at the supermarket said they were unwilling to make the necessary changes because it was not doing enough trade to warrant such investment.

They said they would be looking to build another station in the Blackburn area.

The station's closure will come as a blow to motorists who will lose one of the town's cheapest petrol stations.

Morrison's offers a litre costing 71.7 pence, 2p or 3p cheaper than many of its competitors.

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: "After a routine risk assessment, which the company was required to submit to the council, several recommendations for improvements were made on the grounds of health and safety.

"The company has now informed the council that the improvements are not commercially viable and Morrison's petrol station will close in the New Year. The council is working with the company to ensure that the closure is done safely and without danger to members of the public and the environment.

"Although the closure is a loss to the town centre, there is not a shortage of petrol stations in the immediate area and health and safety must come first."

Gillian Hall, spokeswoman for Wm Morrison Supermarkets, said: "The decision to close the petrol station was made because it was not economically viable.

"We are in the middle of a modernising programme and we are investing heavily in our petrol stations. Unfortunately, the petrol station was not doing enough business to warrant such an investment.

"We will be looking for an alternative site in the Blackburn area, but I don't have any more information yet, it is too early."