Deliveries of this winter's flu vaccine to surgeries in Chorley could be delayed by up to seven weeks.

It comes after last week's launch of Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust's annual flu jab campaign.

Fronted by football legend, Sir Tom Finney, it urged people, especially the elderly and vulnerable, to get vaccinated.

But by last Friday, patients at one Adlington surgery were being turned away and told they faced a wait of seven weeks because they had run out of vaccine.

Several other practices in the borough are also informing patients that no vaccine is available for weeks because of production problems, and health chiefs have admitted there has been a problem in getting the vaccine to surgeries after suppliers failed to meet supply timescales.

The shortages come as weather experts predict the coldest winter for a decade.

Cliff Jones, 70, from Lower Adlington, a member of the PCT's patient and public involvement forum, slammed the delay as 'astonishing complacency'.

He said: "I think the length of the delay is scandalous, it could put people at risk.

"The flu can cause misery and heartache, particularly for the elderly and long-term sick. Any delay will lead to worry and distress."

He said he had been told that the next date to have the jab at the surgery was November 25.

But Dr Arif Rajpura, consultant in public health at Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust, played down the risks.

He said: "If patients do have to wait until the end of November for the flu vaccination this is unlikely to put them at an increased risk. The flu vaccination programme is always designed to start early to allow time for any expected delays.

"Past experience has shown us that the risk of flu tends to be heightened later on in the season, so any delays experienced this year are unlikely to put people at an increased risk."

He said the local delay reflects a national problem, caused by a delay in the World Health Organisation releasing the strain to suppliers to produce the vaccine. Also, one supplier had an additional batch failure.

Dr Rajpura said: "Many practices in Chorley have received a delivery already of the flu vaccine and are awaiting further deliveries over October and November which will cover all those who need the vaccine.

"By the end of November, practices should have received enough vaccine to enable everyone who needs a flu jab in Chorley and South Ribble to get inoculated.

"Delivery of the flu vaccine to surgeries are always staggered as they have to be kept in a controlled refrigerated environment so each surgery has only a certain amount of capacity."