SUPERMARKET workers in East Lancashire may have had their bank account details posted on the internet, it has been revealed.

Morrisons launched an investigation after a major breach of its payroll systems saw pay and bank account details of around 100,000 staff, from director downwards, appear on a website.

And a spokesman on Friday said it was ‘too early to say’ whether staff from branches in Blackburn, Great Harwood, Accrington, Ramsbottom, Bacup, Chorley and Todmorden were affected.

The supermarket group was alerted to the leak by the Lancashire Telegraph’s sister paper, the Telegraph and Argus in Bradford, which was sent a disc containing the information by a ‘concerned Morrisons shopper’.

Morrisons described the leak as a ‘serious theft of data’ and said it was urgently reviewing its internal data security measures, although initial findings pointed to an inside job and not the work of a hacker.

In a statement, the company said: “This data theft included bank account details. Morrisons immediately ensured it was taken off the website.

“We can confirm there has been no loss of customer data and no colleague will be left financially disadvantaged.

“We have already informed our colleagues about the theft and we are helping them take the appropriate actions to safeguard their personal data.”

Morrisons said chief executive Dalton Philips was leading the response to the theft and action taken included working with cyber crime authorities and the police to identify the culprits involved.

Experts have been brought in to help Morrisons staff ensure they are not financially disadvantaged, banks have been informed of the matter and a staff helpline set up.

On Thursday, Britain’s fourth biggest supermarket announced losses of £176m, and several major price cuts in the hope of challenging discount supermarkets.