Thousands of pensioners, one-parent families and other needy people in Bradford have had their supply of cheap food axed by the Government.

The decision has enraged voluntary groups and politicians across the district, and prompted one pensioner to register her protest by trying to telephonethe Prime Minister.

Some 3.8 million tins of EU-subsidised beef, at a nominal 5p a tin, have been distributed in Bradford in ten years.

The food has been a boon to many of the city's most disadvantaged residents. More food is handed out in Bradford than anywhere else in the country under the scheme.

But Ministers say they have been forced to pull the plug, because not enough groups nationally were willing to hand it out, making it costly.

Wibsey pensioner Theresa Harrison was so angry she tried to ring Tony Blair. "This will make a big difference to me - I used to mix one tin of beef with vegetables and a stock cube and it would do seven lunches," she said.

In Bradford, where volunteers are managing to buck the national trend, there is dismay at the move.

Bradford North MP Terry Rooney vowed to contact the Government to try to reverse the decision and Bradford Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood pledged to investigate the possibility of retaining the scheme in the city.

Today members of the Clayton Community Helpers group - which has handled a quarter of all tins given out in Yorkshire and the North East this year - said they were shocked.

Alan Hirst said: "People are staggered that a Labour government could do this and withdraw this cheap food. A number of people have said they will write to their MPs and MEP and demand to know why Britain is missing out when this scheme will continue in other countries.

"We didn't realise we had handed out more food than any other group in England, but I am not surprised.

"We have now written to the Ministry of Agriculture asking if we can have their last remaining supplies, to distribute in Bradford starting at the end of this month."

Mr Rooney said: "This used to be a huge scheme and we ran it for about ten years at Bierley Community Centre when I was employed there but it was very bureaucratic. Accepting how good Clayton are, what they are shifting is negligible compared to the 95,000 tonnes the Government has in storage."

Council leader Ian Greenwood said: "I understand the position the Government is in, but I am writing to ask if there's any way they can recognise that Bradford has been extremely efficient and effective at distributing the food, and to find out if some element of the scheme can carry on."

Councillor Margaret Eaton, leader of the Tory group on Bradford council, said: "I think this is absolutely tragic - in Bradford we have a lot of people on low incomes who need this kind of help."

Audrey Raistrick of the Ravenscliffe and Greengates Association, said: "Why should people in Bradford be sacrificed just because other people up and down the country haven't bothered? Can't the tins be given to Bradford - if others don't want it, we'll have the lot. They shouldn't stop it."

Anthony Clipsom, of Bradford Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), said: "Clearly, there was a need for this scheme in Bradford. I take my hat off to the Clayton Community Helpers who have stuck with it while other groups have dropped out."

A smaller distribution centre is the Gingerbread centre for lone parents in Darley Street, Bradford. The charity's Rita Gilmore said: "We were absolutely inundated at our sessions, people were queuing right down the steps. I think they should be widening out the scheme rather than ending it."

Wibsey pensioner Theresa Harrison was so angry at the news that she tried to ring Prime Minister Tony Blair. "This will make a big difference to me - I used to mix one tin of beef with vegetables and a stock cube and it would do seven lunches," she said.

A Ministry of Agriculture spokesman said: "It's good to see there are examples where it has proved effective like Bradford, but the take-up has to be viewed on a national basis."

The food handouts are restricted to the homeless and destitute and people who claim either income support, family credit, jobseekers allowance or disability working allowance who are allowed 12 tins each.

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