He arrived at the Faiseltex factory, Fletcher Road, to meet local business leaders before launching an eight-page community information leaflet which will be distributed to 17,000 homes across the borough.
Preston Liberal democrat leader Bill Chadwick said: "We are absolutely thrilled Paddy visited Preston to back our cause."
Paddy, who will retire as Lib Dem leader in the summer, then moved onto Leyland to give his backing to the retained firefighters who stand to lose their jobs next month after cuts in the service were announced.
Paddy added: "We will do all that we can to ensure the service is saved."
His promise to help them follows just days after local MP David Borrow announced he was to meet with home office minister George Howarth next Tuesday (March 23) to discuss the issue.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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