A UNIQUE scheme to give Clarets fans cheap chat is becoming the talk of the terraces.

Club bosses hope the service, Turf Moor Telecom, will raise vital funds for the cash-strapped club and say it could pay for a new player each season.

More than 1,000 fans have so far signed up for the service which offers up to 50 per cent off the cost of calls. A contribution from each call is also ploughed back into the club.

The scheme was launched in December and the club will receive the first cheque next month, expected to be around £1,300. That monthly amount will increase as more people sign up.

If the scheme is a success Turf Moor could even start offering to supply gas, electricity and other utilities as a way of raising extra revenue.

The club is currently advertising the scheme in match day programmes and at the ground. All supporters on the club's database are also being contacted to see if they are interested in signing up.

A similar scheme was launched four years ago, but failed to take off.

Turf Moor marketing manager Edoardo Abis said the new service should mean both fans and the club were winners.

He said: "It has been pretty popular so far and we are hoping that as more people start talking about it and start seeing the benefits they and the club can make that even more fans will sign up.

"The revenue this generates will be ploughed back into the club and could pay for another player every season - it would be that valuable.

"Because of the financial situation we need to start looking at other ways of raising revenue and this is a good way to do it. Under this scheme the fans benefit too.

"If the phone service proves to be a success we may look at providing other services like utilities such as water, gas or electricity."

When fans sign up with Turf Moor Telecom the club notify BT of the change and the BT exchange is then programmed to apply the new rates to all calls. Fans stay on the BT network so their phone numbers do not change.

The only change customers see is a monthly bill from Turf Moor Telecom. Calls can be provided at the cheaper rates, 2.5p a minute for daytime local calls and 1.04p for evening calls, because the company which set up the scheme, Malson of Derby, buys minutes in bulk from BT.

Anyone who wants to sign up to the scheme or get further information can call 08703 005 005 or go to the website at www.turfmoortelecom.com