COUNCIL bosses have been accu-sed of “squirreling” away taxpay-ers’ money in foreign banks.

Last week it was revealed authorities across Lancashire could lose a total of £24million in a struggling Icelandic bank.

Dr Fred McGlade, a parliamentary candidate for the UK Independence Party, demanded a public inquiry.

He said: “Last winter 25,000 old people died in this country because of fuel poverty but local authorities, up and down the country, as well as those in Lancashire, feel it is right to squirrel away such huge sums when the lives of pensioners are at risk.

“A public inquiry should be held as a matter of urgency into these investments with dodgy banks.”