A SLIP of the pen is being blamed for sparking a storm over apparent plans to scrap road safety groups.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council denies plans to axe five voluntary grassroots safety watchdogs in east Cleveland.

Councillor Glyn Nightingale, council cabinet member for corporate resources, said a letter sent out was open to misinterpretation.

He said: "It read: 'The council has discontinued the committees', when it should have read: 'The council has discontinued councillors' attendance at the committees.' It is three missing words that have created thousands of Chinese whispers.''

He said what was being proposed was an amalgamation of all the area committees into one sub committee of the development scrutiny committee.

A letter from the council's chief executive, Colin Moore, has been sent to the five committees involved to explain the error