Video production company Partners WM, based in Brighton, has just completed a project on food handling with actress Lesley Joseph.

The CD-Rom was prepared for supermarket group Waitrose as part of its staff training programme.

Partner Alice Meacham said the project had been fun and used comedy to get the message across.

Birds Of A Feather star Miss Joseph played a glamorous, ultra fussy woman who demanded to know how food was handled in the store.

Duncan Preston played the part of a store manager who liked to go into minute detail about the processes employed.

The new CD-Rom will be launched in all branches this month and replaces an existing one starring Tony Robinson. It is one of many Partners WM has produced for Waitrose.

It is designed to work in a company-wide multimedia training database system, launched by Partners WM and Waitrose last year.

The company has worked with Waitrose on training projects for eight years.

Waitrose spokesman Michael Fairbairn said:

"Fresh food handling affects everyone in every branch.

"It is important to create a programme that trainees can readily relate to as the subject matter can be very dry.

"The use of humour helps users to absorb and retain the information.

"Partners WM has factored all these elements in to create a successful and well received programme."