A PHONE pest is making the life of a councillor and his family a misery.

For three weeks Tonge councillor Paul Perry has been inundated with anonymous calls.

The situation has become so bad that his wife Delysia and daughter Christine refuse to answer the phone.

Cllr Perry said: "Last night really was the last straw. I had been out at the Halliwell by-election count and got in about 11.30pm.

"The phone never stopped between midnight and 2am. When you picked it up the person at the other end would put it down, or laugh and then put it down."

Cllr Perry, of Cartmel Close, Bolton, suspects the calls may be from a gypsy sympathiser.

During the summer, Cllr Perry was involved in a number of clashes with gypsies who set up camp in Leverhulme Park.

Cllr Perry said: "I can't really go ex-directory because of my council commitments, but if this continues I will have to reassess the situation.

"If this person has got something against me I am prepared to meet them face to face to thrash the matter out - but they should leave my family out of it."

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