A PUB landlord brought cheer to his locals when he reduced the price of a pint of lager and beer.

But there was a serious message behind his campaign.

Landlord Mark Mazur, who runs the Lord Nelson in Clayton-le-Woods, cut his prices by an average of 26p to promote a campaign to reduce the Duty on beer, and tackle the problem of cheap foreign booze.

And he timed the special day for October 21, to tie in with Trafalgar Day, commemorating the 191st anniversary of Nelson's victory over the Spanish and French in the Battle of Trafalgar.

Mr Mazur wants to bring attention to the fact that the English pay 26p more in tax on beer than the French and that more than one million pints of European beer are entering this country every day, one third of which is for illegal re-sale.

Of that total, 47 vans a week arrive in Chorley, which, say local landlords, is threatening local pubs and jobs in the brewery industry.

On the day, staff joined in the spirit of the occasion by wearing eye-patches, t-shirts and admiral hats with stickers bearing slogans such as England Expects Every Man To Pay More On Duty.

Mark said: "In England we pay some of the highest rates of Duty on beer in Europe - the French pay just 4p on a pint, while we pay 30p.

"Fellow publicans and myself are calling on the Chancellor to reduce Duty in the November Budget."

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