Health bosses are working on the premise of 'when' rather than 'if' an avian flu pandemic hits Chorley.

But a public health consultant has spoken out to reassure people that plans are being made locally to counteract any potential outbreak of pandemic flu.

Dr Arif Rajpura, consultant in public health at Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust, spoke to reassure people that every effort is already being made to prepare for any potential outbreak.

Experts believe an outbreak could affect up to 25 per cent of the population around 25,000 in Chorley borough alone affected.

He said: "In Chorley, a flu pandemic planning committee has been in operation for the past few months, planning and putting into place measures to minimize the effects of any potential pandemic flu outbreak. The group are looking at issues such as ensuring there is extra capacity within the local health service and business continuity within the PCT in the event of widespread cases of flu.

"Providing emergency planning training to staff and preparing advice for GPs, pharmacists and nursing and residential homes are other matters we are considering. Information packs are being sent to every GP practice in the country to help them answer patients concerns." Dr Rajpura also stressed he does not want people to worry unduly about a potential outbreak and wants to dispel 'myths' that people have built up around pandemic flu.

He added: "Currently avian flu is not pandemic - humans are not passing on the virus to other humans

"In order for flu to be pandemic it must be able to pass from human to human. So far, avian flu has only been transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human.

"The cases that have been recorded of avian flu in humans have involved people with very close exposure to infected birds.

"We cannot be complacent though as a pandemic virus may emerge from an avian influenza virus, for example if it mixes with human flu, creating a new virus which is highly infectious for people."