WORKERS and management today hit back after the Sun newspaper launched an extraordinary attack on Nestl boss Peter Blackburn.

Following yesterday's revelation that York factory jobs could be lost if the strong pound continues to hit chocolate exports, the national tabloid brought out a unique York edition carrying the front page headline: Is THIS the most dangerous man in York?

The accompanying leader article slammed the Nestl UK chairman and chief executive over his support for Britain joining the Euro. It claimed he was a fully-fledged euro-fanatic and said it was time such people stopped putting the fear of God into employees with job scare stories.

But Nestl, the GMB union and ordinary employees were united today in condemning the Sun.

The company issued a statement saying it was "surprised and disappointed" by the criticism. "Peter Blackburn has lived most of his working life in York. He joined Rowntree Mackintosh in 1966 and was chairman of Rowntree's UK business at the time of the take-over of Rowntree by Nestle in 1988.

"During his time as chairman of Nestl UK, Nestl Rowntree's York factory has received enormous investment and support. No one has worked harder to make the York factory successful."

In an article in today's Financial Times, Mr Blackburn explained why he believed Britain could not afford not to join the Euro, claiming that Britain's competitive position and foreign investment into this country could otherwise be hit.

He said exports had declined significantly because of the overvalued pound and "the consequences for jobs and the future of our UK factories should not be underestimated."

Many employees arriving for work today branded the Sun front page "rubbish" and "a joke". One, Steve Daly, claimed the tabloid was simply trying to rake in more sales.

"There is no real threat to our jobs.

"You can't trust politicians so it's manufacturers like him (Mr Blackburn) who should be telling us whether we should be joining the euro."

John Kirk, regional officer of the GMB, which represents most Nestl Rowntree workers in York, said: "I think it's a disgraceful attack on the whole of the workforce. They are making capital out of innocent people.

He said he did not view Nestl Rowntree as being Euro-fanatical, but merely, like other companies, concerned about the high value of the pound and its impact upon exports.

GMB national officer Harry Donaldson said: "We share similar concerns to Peter Blackburn about the high value of the pound and the impact it is having on competitiveness in the UK."

Sun editor David Yelland today defended his paper's attack on Mr Blackburn - and said the Sun had received many calls from York saying: "Well done." He said he could not believe that Nestl workers would see the leader as an attack on them, and it certainly had not been intended that way.

He said: "They (Nestl) basically told people in York over the weekend that if Britain does not join the single currency, the jobs at Rowntree were under threat, which just isn't true."

Meanwhile, York MP Hugh Bayley revealed he is planning to discuss problems caused by the strong pound at a meeting next week with Mr Blackburn.

He acknowledged the strength of sterling made if difficult for exporters, and said he wanted to talk through the problems but insisted there was no quick fix.

Mr Bayley said the strong pound reflected the strength of the British economy and the creation of a million jobs since Labour came to power, and it would be difficult to persuade the money markets the economy was not strong.

Yorkshire and Humberside Tory Euro-MP Robert Goodwill has also requested an urgent meeting with Nestl UK to discuss the company's concerns about the pound and the prospects for jobs.

Liberal Democrats are calling for City of York Council to raise Nestl's problems over the strong pound with the Government. The Liberal shadow executive wants the authority to press the Government to make clear its intentions over entry to the Euro.

PICTURE: Peter Blackburn: "no one has worked harder to make the York factory successful"