BARMY bureaucracy meant East Lancashire drinkers could buy beer cheaper on the continent than they could at the corner shop. Blackburn brewing giant Daniel Thwaites started exporting its beers to France - to sell back to British shoppers! Duty on a pint of beer in Britain was 34p a pint compared with 2p a pint in France. Thwaites director and general manager David Kay said: "The Chancellor must act to stop this ludicrous situation."

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