TOWN hall bosses have called a council meeting after a local political group printed off thousands of campaign leaflets using a council's printer.

The alleged breach of election rules came to light when an angry resident called the council to ask why the authority's name appeared on the bottom of the leaflet.

Thornaby Independents, which hopes to contest several wards in Stockton's local elections in May, were using equipment at Thornaby Town Council to produce the campaign literature.

Group members say they were given permission by the council to print off the leaflets.

The Teesside council's chairman, Ivor Morgan, said he found three bin liners stuffed with shredded leaflets at the town hall on Saturday.

Mr Morgan added: "This has put the council in a serious and precarious position.

"From my position as chairman I must inform the people of Thornaby that in no way was the council associated with this.

"I am appalled to think members of the independent party used the council's machine, which is the property of the council.

"Our name has been used without my knowledge on party political leaflets and because we are going into an election there may be some infringement of election law here."

The council has now launched an investigation into the allegations and will be seeking legal advice on its next move.

Thornaby Independents was formed last year after rebel councillors launched a blistering attack on the hierarchy of Stockton Borough Council.

Bob Gibson, leader of the council, said yesterday: "The real losers in this are the people of Thornaby.

"The council should settle for nothing less than a full inquiry. There appears to be a total disregard for the standards and ethics of elected councillors."

Ken Wallace, a former Labour councillor who acts as Thornaby Independent's spokesman, said the group had done nothing wrong.

He said: "This is just mischief-making on behalf of the Labour party. We entered into a verbal contract with the town clerk and we agreed a price for the printing job, it's as simple as that. It's a commercial agreement. The council appears on the leaflets because election law states we must say where we had them printed."

The leaflets will be discussed at a full council meeting at Thornaby Town Hall on Monday, at 7pm.