NESTL boss Peter Blackburn told today of his astonishment when he heard The Sun newspaper was suggesting he was "the most dangerous man in York".

"I thought it was a spoof at first," Mr Blackburn, chairman and chief executive of Nestl UK told the Evening Press.

"It was a big surprise. I didn't believe it was happening."

He said he now looked back on the episode with some amusement, and planned to keep and frame The Sun's special York Edition front page.

Mr Blackburn, who was based at Rowntrees' York factory from 1972 to 1991, and plans to live in the area again when he eventually retires, said the factory was a "great place", and that £200 million had been invested over the last ten years.

Mr Blackburn said he stood by his support for Britain joining the Euro, which sparked the tabloid newspaper's attack on him.

He said that 58 per cent of exports went to European Union countries.

"If you are a member of a club and do not play according to the rules, you risk being disadvantaged," he said.

Nestl UK had lost more than £100 million of exports in the last few years, largely because of the relative strength of sterling against the Euro.

Mr Blackburn expressed great confidence in the future of the York factory, saying that UK business had been doing very well in the last couple of years, partly through the successful launch of new versions of traditional products such as KitKat, Smarties, Polo, and Rolo.

Mr Blackburn praised the Evening Press's coverage of the Euro issue in recent weeks, saying it has been "measured, proper and responsible".

PICTURE: THE BOSS: Nestl chairman and chief executive Peter Blackburn outside the York factory today Picture: Mike Tipping