A NEW government hotline to combat anti-social behaviour fell flat on its face just days after being launched.

The 'It's Your Call' phone line got off the ground on Monday and was intended to allow the public to report incidents direct to the council.

The Home Office number- 0845 60 52 22 2 - is designed to transfer callers to the local council, no matter where they are phoning from.

The service, part of a Home Office initiative known as Together, is being piloted in 25 areas around the country including Blackburn and Burnley. Posters and flyers have been used to advertise the service.

But instead of getting through to the designated department, callers phoning from Blackburn postcodes were put through to Blackburn with Darwen's Lifelong Learning department -- responsible for education.

Today the gaffe was slammed by users who described it as "a joke".

When the hotline was launched, Home Office minister Hazel Blears said: "What we're saying today is simple -- it's your call. Pick up the phone and make a difference.

"Together we can tackle anti-social behaviour."

Callers are asked by an automated system to enter their postcode, and they are transferred to the relevant local authority.

The number works as planned in Burnley, but when transferred to Blackburn with Darwen council, calls were answered by members of staff who had no knowledge of the system.

One said: "Hot Line? It's so hot it's wrong."

But one 39-year-old man, who asked not to be named after using the faulty system, said he was appalled that the scheme was failing already.

The man, who lives in a BB2 postcode and was hoping to report youths congregating near his home, said: "I just found it a bit of a joke that they had set something up and hadn't tried and tested it before issuing the number.

"If it had been a free phone number I could understand it bit it's an 0845 number which I have to pay for."

Today George Campling, director of rights, advice and entitlements with Blackburn Council, said the problem had been sorted.

He said: "Due to an error with the numbers calls have been directed to the wrong team.

"The error has now been identified and calls are being redirected to the correct team.

"We apologise to anyone for any inconvenience they may have experienced."