ONLY a quarter of companies in Preston and South Ribble are allowing their staff time off to watch the World Cup or have made provisions to let them catch the 50-plus matches while they work, according to a workers' union survey.

The GMB general workers' union survey reveals bosses are facing a 'bunk it for Beckham' craze and believe workers will call the office, claiming to be sick, just to get time off work to watch the big games.

A survey carried out among the union's members including lawyers, factory workers and classroom assistants, found 25 per cent of companies in Lancashire had informed staff that special provisions had been made.

One firm gearing up for the four-yearly event -- in which the England campaign kicks off on Sunday, June 2, against Sweden in Japan -- is Liquid Plastics, Miller Street, Preston, where bosses are installing large screen televisions for the 200-strong staff to watch their soccer heroes battle it out on the pitch.

According to bosses at the firm, who opened a new manufacturing plant in America this week, a survey was conducted earlier this year asking staff their opinions on watching the matches at work.

Staff returned their questionnaires and an overwhelming majority expressed an interest for wide screen TVs in the canteen and on the factory floor to watch some of the games.

Workers opting to watch the matches will be expected to make their hours up later in the day.

Jonathan Gorick, joint managing director of Industrial Polymers Ltd, a sister company of Liquid Plastics, said: "We weren't worried about people calling in sick, but a lot of our staff are football fans and we wanted to give them the opportunity to watch the games. They are under no obligation if they don't want to."

A GMB spokesman said: "I think it is highly possible that if workers aren't provided with televisions and flexible hours during the World Cup then they will call in sick.

"During the last World Cup absentee rates for some England matches were as high as 70 per cent and cost the UK economy almost £400 million in lost business."