A BOGUS council official has been harassing women in the Darlington area by asking them to take part in a sordid survey.

The man, who says he is called John, has rung a number of women and claimed to be conducting a survey for Darlington Borough Council.

He begins by asking harmless questions about shopping habits before turning the conversation around to sex and asking what underwear the women have on.

Although none of the women have reported the man to the police, a number of them have called the council in a distressed state to complain about him.

Yesterday, a council spokeswoman said they had received a number of calls from women about the man's actions.

She stressed that the council rarely carries out phone surveys and said: "When and if we do carry out surveys, they are conducted in a proper and professional manner.

"We would urge anyone who is unsure about the identity of a caller claiming to be from the council to simply hang up."