TESCO is on its way -- that is the message from the supermarket chiefs following fears that they might scrap plans for Leyland after announcing their intention to expand the Chorley store.

But rumours that the firm is on the verge of backing out in favour of its Chorley operation have been well and truly quashed this week.

A spokesman for the company said: "There is no doubt about our investment in Leyland and it has nothing to do with the decision to expand the site in Chorley.

"That is a different store with a different catchment area.

"We are definitely coming to Leyland and we are looking forward to it very much."

However work on the Leyland development was due to start in January. Then two weeks ago Tesco chiefs announced plans to invest £250,000 into improvements to its Chorley site, and to refurbish the town's Ackhurst Business Park store.

The news fuelled concern among people in Leyland who feared the plan for the store on the site of the former Food Giant supermarket, in Southern Towngate, would never gets off the ground.

Pensioner Margaret Simmonds, of Leyland Lane, said: "We were told that Tesco were coming to Leyland ages ago.

"They were supposed to have the store up and running early this year, yet here we are, still waiting.

"Now that they plan to expand the Chorley shop, I doubt whether they will come at all.

"Plenty of car users in Leyland already use the Chorley store, out of necessity, and I'm sure Tesco bosses know this, so why would they want to spend all that money on building another supermarket a few miles down the road?"

Her views were echoed by shoppers all over South Ribble, and the fact that the development of Southern Towngate has been on the cards for more than 30 years has added an air of suspicion to this new sheme.

However council leader Gina Lewis confirmed that the development was a sure thing.

She said: "As far as I am aware the situation remains the same. Tesco will be coming."

And she said the council are in on-going meetings with Tesco bosses to discuss plans for the new multi-million pound development.

The Tesco spokesman blamed the postponement on "a very unforeseen and unscheduled delay". She added: "We are expecting to making an announcement soon -- in weeks rather than months."