HEALTH bosses will meet next week to decide whether to ban beef completely from meals in Burnley hospitals.

Beef was cut from children's meals at the hospitals months ago as health chiefs defied Government advice that it was safe to eat.

Instead, the bosses followed the guidance of their own microbiologist, Dr Stephen Dealler, who told them to strike it from kids' menus.

Today, as hundreds of other hospitals followed Burnley's lead in the light of new evidence on the human link to "mad cow" disease, BSE expert Dr Dealler praised the trust for its decision last November.

And as the health trust prepared to make a decision on imposing a blanket ban on all beef meals at local hospitals, Dr Dealler said: "Full marks to the trust and chief executive, David Chew, for having the guts to stand up against Government advice and accept my warning. It was not an easy decision to make, but they have been proved absolutely right." Dr Dealler, an expert on BSE who joined the Burnley Trust last year, said he had made a plea to the hospital when evidence came to light in November that there could be danger to children.

"The same evidence was given to the Government committee, but they decided to ignore it. Burnley got it right."

A Health Trust spokesman said a decision on whether to ban beef outright from all patients and staff meals would be made early next week.

Lancashire County Council today decided to extend its ban on beef in school meals to include all secondary schools.

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