A DARWEN pensioner has criticised council officials for not accepting £5 coins - despite them being legal tender.

Ray Kemp, 69, of Westland Avenue, said he was given the coins when he went to collect his pension at Darwen Post Office.

But when he went to Darwen Town Hall to pay his council tax, the cashier would not take them.

Today, Blackburn with Darwen Council promised to look into the situation before the imminent launch of the new £5 Queen's Jubilee coin confused things.

Mr Kemp said: "There was a notice up when I went to pay telling me that they didn't take the coins and the cashier told me the same thing, so I had to pay by cheque."

He said he later rang the council and was told by the finance department that they could not take the coins because their bank did not accept them.

Ray, who works part-time at the Millstone pub, said: "I've noticed these coins in our till. They are legal tender - we must have had over 20 in the till - although a lot of people don't know what they are and think they are some kind of foreign coin.

"The thing is, I was partly paid with these coins when I went to collect my pension along with other people, and yet couldn't use them when I wanted to."

Both Burnley and Hyndburn borough councils accept the coins.

A spokeswoman for Burnley said: "Although we have only taken a couple, we do accept them for payment as they are legal tender."

And a spokesman for Hyndburn said the coins were viewed as normal legal tender.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Mint confirmed all coins they produced were legal tender.

She said: "Different ranges of £5 coins were produced, including commemorative ones but they are still legal. They were taken out of general circulation some time ago because they were considered too bulky, but the gentlemen should be able to spend the coins as he wishes."

Blackburn with Darwen director of finance Alan Cotton said: "We were advised at the outset that these were commemorative coins and as such we should not accept them in payment.

"I am currently trying to clarify the situation with our bankers since this problem will no doubt arise again with the issue of the new £5 Queen's Jubilee Crown due to be issued early this year."