THE competition to name Hyndburn Council's new offices caused a major row today after party leaders fell out over who qualified for the £100 prize.

The money was offered to the first person drawn who suggested the council's preferred option for the former Scaitcliffe Mill, in Ormerod Street, Accrington.

Coun Peter Britcliffe, former Conservative council leader, said more than 100 entries had been received, most of them in favour of a name to honour the Queen Mother after her death -- Queen Elizabeth House.

But new leader, Labour's Coun Ian Ormerod said that figure was exaggerated and included entries received after the April 9 closing date.

Most of the entries had actually favoured Scaitcliffe House, the name subsequently chosen by the Labour Party, he added.

The new ruling group changed the name because they said delays caused by preparations for the Queen's Jubilee meant they were unable to get royal approval for use of the name in time for the official opening.

The draw was postponed until after the local elections, which saw Labour replace the Conservatives as ruling party. Coun Britcliffe said he intended to make the draw in the next two weeks with the names of all who nominated Queen Elizabeth House in the hat.

But Coun Ormerod countered that he would be making the draw, which would include the names of entrants who suggested Scaitcliffe House, the Labour Party's preferred name.

Another prize of £100 will be awarded to a schoolgirl who Coun Ormerod said was the only person to suggest Queen Elizabeth House.

"We will put all the names of of those who suggested Scaitcliffe House into a hat and draw it out publicly," he said.

"The whole thing is quite a mess but it is not of our making.

"It wasn't our pigeon, it was the previous leader's. He drove it through himself without the knowledge of his colleagues as far as I'm aware.

"After the closing date had elapsed, 54 entries suddenly appeared, all for Queen Elizabeth House, but the vast majority of them appeared to be in the same handwriting."

Coun Britcliffe denied entries had been accepted after the closing date and said: "There were entries that came after April 9 that were not taken into consideration.

"It's my intention to do the draw when my secretary returns from holiday and present the prize to the winner as we announced."

The council is set to move into the £2million offices next month.