THE great British banger in the Westcountry could be in danger as we know it if Food Standards Agency proposals are adopted to ban natural sausage skins made from lamb.

The Government body wants the European Commission to impose the ban throughout the EU.

Those involved in the sausage industry in the South West back claims by the Natural Sausage Casing Association who feel the FSA move is disproportionate, as it has failed to adopt an evidence-based approach to policy making.

Steve Turton, managing director of Westaways sausages in Kingsteignton, Devon, sympathises with those processors and manufacturers that could be effected if the ban was implemented.

He told Catering South West that his company was proud to make a 100 per cent British sausage. "Although it doesn't affect all sausages we produce at the end of the day it would hit 15 per cent of our sausages. However we would adapt," he said.

"But it would hit somebody's livelihood and these proposals are an example of the nanny state we live in. However, I don't think it will take place and hopefully they will see sense. BSE in sheep is still unproven.

"I understand the FSA have the consumers' interests at heart and have to protect their welfare, but so do we and I think this action is excessive. I could go abroad and buy sheep's casing if we have to but it doesn't make any sense - nor does having a British sausage with 100 per cent pork and a sausage casing from New Zealand."

The NSCA says it will fight any proposal all the way to Brussels if necessary and is confident that the EU will reject it out of hand.

Its chairman, Tim Weschenfelder, said it would decimate an EU natural sausage industry worth £2.8 billion.

He told Catering South West: "We will not let the FSA get away with their attempts to destroy a safe, well-established British industry whose products are in demand across Europe."

Cornish butcher Philip Warren, who employs 22 people in his Launceston shop, is in no doubt that consumers should be allowed to make up their own minds.

He said: "I think it's far too late anyway - it's totally stupid. If there was a slight possibility of risk and there was a choice between eating natural produce and eating manufactured produce I would go for natural produce everytime. I think everybody in this country should be allowed to make their own choice."

Scientists should not be allowed to determine such issues alone, he adds, as their decisions just add to the confusion of the consumer.

As for the NSCA decision to fight the proposal to ban lamb intestine casing, he said: "I definitely back them as long as their argument is not scientific because I know, if they try to use scientific arguments, the scientists will win in the end."

But Mr Warren does have one solution to the problem if they ban natural lamb intestine casings - he will simply use pig skins instead.