SIX chemists across North Yorkshire could be under threat of closure if a multi-billion takeover of high street giant Boots goes ahead, union leaders have claimed.

Britain's general union, GMB, issued the warning in response to a possible £10.1 billion private equity deal for the health and beauty firm - which last year joined forces with Alliance Unichem to form Alliance Boots.

GMB leaders fear 131 small pharmacies across the country could be at risk of shutting if the deal goes ahead, saying Boots would be forced into the move to pay off debts it would incur from the takeover.

Six chemists in North Yorkshire are on the list of those under threat, including Alliance Pharmacy in Strensall, Boots The Chemists in Wheelgate, Malton, and Moss Chemists in Market Place, Easingwold, and in Hunmanby, near Filey.

The remaining two of the county's threatened pharmacies are in Settle and Stokesley.

A number of chemists in East Yorkshire are also listed as threatened, including the Alliance Pharmacy in Market Place, Market Weighton, and the Alliance Pharmacy in Scalby Lane, Gilberdyke, and Bridgegate, Howden.

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said in a letter to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt: "I am writing to draw to your attention the concerns of GMB members, particularly those in outlying areas, that if the £10.1 billion private equity deal for Boots goes ahead the company will be loaded with debt and be forced to close hundreds of Boots stores serving local communities to pay interest on these massive debts.

"Our members would be grateful if you could ask for assurances that the 131 pharmacies serving outlying areas will not be closed to pay for this private equity takeover."

The battle is on for a takeover of the newly-formed high street giant Alliance Boots, which also supplies medicines to the NHS.

GMB has called on the Government to delay the deal.

But a spokesman for Alliance Boots - which runs Moss, Boots and Alliance stores - said the company had no plans to close the 131 stores.

He said: "These plans that have been outlined (by GMB) bear no resemblance to anything that Alliance Boots have been working on.

"We've no knowledge of them nor of their background - we've no idea where they've come from. Alliance Boots has no plans to close that amount of stores - (we are) relocating about 100 stores, but this list of 131 stores bears no resemblance from any plan that we have."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said it had no power to intervene in private equity takeovers.

He said: "Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) have a duty to secure adequate pharmecutical services locally. If a community pharmacy was to close, the PCT would simply tender for a new provider to fill any gaps in the service."