IT'S THE drink that got Britain through two World Wars and was always described as the nation's favourite beverage.

But, according to a Bransgore pensioner, good, old-fashioned tea is disappearing from his local Sainsbury's store in Somerford.

Mr Bob Gee said: "There is an aisle full of coffee which is fine, as I like coffee too, but there are a few, spurious, flavoured teas and only two bags of Britain's favourite drink."

And, he says, the tea that is stocked is only of the large box variety.

"They seem to have removed the 80 or 40 bag PG Tips and replaced them with the 160 and 240 size," he said.

Mr Gee, who used to work for the BBC's publications department, says he's spoken to the store but has been told that their customers 'prefer' large boxes and they 'sell better'.

"I beg to differ," he said. "Bearing in mind that nearly 35 per cent of the population of Christchurch are pensioners and probably living in small apartments, it beggars belief. I've seen people just wandering around in there, looking for the smaller and more convenient size boxes"

A Sainsbury's spokesperson was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.