COUNCILLORS have been warned not to use town hall email addresses on election campaign material after a council leader was accused of breaking the rules.

Labour's Kate Hollern, who is standing for re-election to Blackburn with Darwen Council in Wensley Fold, said that she had done nothing wrong and was not attempting to fiddle' anyone.

But opposition councillors said she should have known better and set an example by not using council computer equipment to help boost her campaign.

Coun Hollern's leaflet told anyone needing advice or help, or interested in helping with her campaign to contact her town hall email address. She said: "It is only an email address which costs the council nothing, it is not like using council resources to put out a leaflet.

"That is my legitimate email address, there is nothing in the guidance to say we cannot use it, I am not trying to fiddle any financial resource from the council."

She said it was rich of LibDems to fuss about the use of an email address, just months after Coun Alan Dean had been reprimanded for sending a sexist' Irish joke from his council email.

In a letter sent to councillors and obtained by the Telegraph, Carol Russell, the council's head of democratic services sought to clarify the rules.

She wrote: "I have been asked to remind members that while use of a council email address on elections publicity is permitted, this should remain as a contact for ward queries and councillor assistance. Any requests for party political or campaign assistance should refer to personal or political party contacts or email addresses."

Lib-Dem leader David Foster said; "It worries me she is not admitting she is wrong. We all make mistakes from time to time. She should apologise and give an undertaking not to do it again."

He said Coun Dean had apologised for sending the email, and just because his party had made mistakes did not mean they could not criticise others.

Conservative leader Colin Rigby said: "Kate should have known better, and she should be setting an example to other councillors. She has been a councillor long enough to know that you can't use your personal council email address during the election period."

Graham Burgess, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "The Council has not previously issued guidance to councillors on the use of e mail addresses during an election period. I've now issued clarification to assist candidates from all political parties."