SHOCKED office worker Julie Brown phoned her boyfriend for an errand, and ended up talking to the Prime Minister.

Builder Ashley Reece, 25, was standing behind a barrier at the Bolton Wanderers' stadium waiting for John Major to pass by when his mobile phone started ringing.

On the other end, was girlfriend Julie, 27, phoning from Crown Paints in Darwen asking him to pick up some balloons on the way home.

Ashley said: "I told her John Major was a few yards away and she would not believe me so I just passed him the phone.

"I asked him to tell her it was true and he did."

Amazingly Mr Major started talking to a disbelieving Julie as the nation's press crowded around to try and listen in on their conversation.

Afterwards, the stunned office worker told the BEN: "Ashley is a real joker and I just told him to stop messing about," said Julie, of Whitehall, Darwen.

"The next thing I knew a man with a posh voice said hello it's John Major and carried on talking for about a minute.

"I just assumed it one of Ashley's mates and didn't take much notice of what else he was saying."

She added: "You just don't expect to speak to the Prime Minister on a Friday afternoon at work. It is nice to know I've spoken to somebody so important. He obviously saw the funny side of being asked to chat to me but I still can't say whether he will get my vote on May 1."

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