WATER bill just did not add up for Radcliffe accountant Phillip Bailey.

He was threatened with court, bankruptcy and debt collectors calling at his house because he had not paid the outstanding amount.

The only problem was that the bill was for the grand sum of £0.00!

"I laughed when I opened the letter," said Mr Bailey (42), of Eastfields. "It's a prime example of how in this day and age people get lost behind a computer screen. There's no personal contact any more."

In fact, Mr Bailey had paid his annual bill of £333.42 five weeks ago.

"I did ring Concilia, the debt recovery arm of United Utilities, to see what they had got to say about it and was told there was a 'system error' but only after I had listened to some elevator music for about ten minutes, which does not exactly put one in the right frame of mind to deal with the offending correspondence," said Mr Bailey.

"They said quite a few other people would have received the same letter. No doubt they are getting their bottles of fresh air ready or Monopoly money together to hand over to the bailiff!"

No one from Concilia was available for comment.