PLAIN English campaigners have dubbed a senior borough councillor the King of Gobbledygook.

They stormed into an official meeting to present Coun Richard Fletcher with their Golden Bull award.

They were unimpressed by a consultation document produced by the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, of which Coun Fletcher is chairman.

That was described as the "worst printed garbage seen this year" by the Plain English Campaign.

But straight-talking Coun Fletcher, a three-times Mayor of Bury and of Radcliffe, was equally cheesed off.

He refused to accept the surprise statuette, which was sprung on him at last Friday's (August 1) meeting of the authority in Oldham.

And one of his fellow councillors caused offence with his own brand of plain English - he told the campaign to go away in no uncertain terms.

Coun Fletcher said he was appalled at being "ambushed" and left his Golden Bull award for the clerk to dispose of.

The veteran Radcliffe North councillor said it was nothing to do with having no sense of humour.

"It's not good fun, it's dirty fun, people behaving badly without any regard or respect. If they were on the receiving end of something similar they would feel the same."

The authority's report sets out proposals for recycling and burning waste across the region, and contains many choice technical phrases. But Coun Fletcher said the document was clear enough.

"There are such things as dictionaries for anyone who is uncertain," he said.

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