A PENSIONER who received a council tax bill for just 1p today described how he roared with laughter to read it was to be paid in instalments.

Dave Woolley, 76, of Longshaw House home for the elderly, Crosby Road, Blackburn, said he was initially shocked by the demand for £0.01 but soon saw the funny side.

He said: "I've been scratching my head ever since.

"I don't know how I'm going to pay it in instalments.

"Myself and the other residents in here have been looking to see if we can get any farthings or ha'pennies together."

Mr Woolley has lived for a year at the Blackburn with Darwen Council-run home.

He said he had received several letters from the authority in the past three weeks reassuring him he was exempt from paying any council tax.

The pensioner previously lived in Infirmary Street, Blackburn, but found himself in a wheelchair after an operation for cancer in March this year.

He said: "It's so daft.

"They'd sent me about six letters saying I didn't have to pay and now this.

"I bet it costs a lot more than a penny to get a member of staff to send the letter out. It's not upset me at all. In fact, we've all been having a good laugh about it here.

"We may be old folk but we still know how to have a good laugh!"

Donna Hall, executive director for corporate resources, said: "This bill should have been picked up and not issued, but unfortunately it slipped through the system.

"We apologise to Mr Woolley and ask him to disregard the bill."