SUPERMARKETS and burger chains were today fearing a huge boycott as the mad cow disease scare swept the country.

The first victims of the backlash against beef were local farmers, who saw a 20 per cent drop in prices of cattle at Gisburn auction mart yesterday - about £150 per animal.

Then the Consumers' Association put out a stark warning - "If you want to avoid the disease, cut out beef and beef products from your diet."

Butchers were also starting to feel the effects of news that Mad Cow Disease may be linked to the human killer Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Some are considering importing beef from New Zealand and South America to ease customers fears over the disease.

Tesco said today it is planning to issue customers with more information with all stores holding a list of "beef free" products.

A Marks and Spencer spokeswoman said they expected beef sales to plummet but it was not expected to effect their overall business.

Sainsbury's and Somersfield were eager to tell customers their beef was safe. A spokeswoman at McDonalds in King William Street, Blackburn, said they had not seen a drop in customers but it was too early to say what the long term effects of the scare would be.

But farmers in the Ribble Valley and beyond have already started to count the cost.

At Gisburn yesterday there was a 20p per kg drop in prices on cattle which means an average of around £100-£150 less per animal.

Staff and the National Farmers' Union offices in Clitheroe have been inundated with calls from worried meat sellers.

A beef ban has even been slapped on the weekly meat raffle at Waterfoot Working Men's Club. Secretary Ken McDonald said the Friday night draw would no longer include beef as a prize for the foreseeable future.

Butcher Geoffrey Lister, of New Chapel Street, Blackburn, said: "It's difficult to see how British beef will recover. The price will remain the same for the next week because we buy in advance but after that, who knows?

"Our first customer today bought beef and it seems to be the older generation who don't really care about the scare."

Mr Bill Oddie, managing director of Nelson-based Oddie bakers and confectioners, said it was too early to tell if the scare would hit the 20-30,000 beef pies they sell every week.

He said: "We've always bought the best bullock beef and as long as we continue to do so our beef products will be safe."

Slaidburn farmer Tom Robinson, who sells more than 200 head of livestock each year, said: "Like most farmers, I know my cattle are clean and safe but the public don't always understand and once alarm bells are set ringing the whole market can come crashing down, bringing some farmers with it."

Supermarkets selling imported beef expect a big increase in sales.

Morrisons have been selling Australian meat for the last four years and predict extra demand.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.