A previsouly anonymous whistleblower whose name was revealed on the council's website received further shocking news from the town hall today.

Wirral Council yesterday apologised unreservedly to their former highways department employee, Gary Downey, for the blunder.

They also removed the document revealing his identity from the internet.

But now he has been informed that more than 70 copies of the offending file have been sent out by a town hall official in printed form to every one of Wirral's 66 councillors, as well as to several senior officers.

An exasperated Mr Downey said: “I was glad they'd taken the internet file down but then I'm told the entire council has been sent a copy with my name in it anyway.

"It would be beyond belief were it not for the fact the monumental incompetence of this council has been so well-documented.

"This latest Basil Fawlty manoeuvre just shows how bad things are.”

Mr Downey has been known to the Globe and Birkenhead MP Frank Field for more than a year as we campaigned to help him expose allegations of wrong-doing over the handling of a multi-million pound, outsourced highways maintenance contract.

The newspaper and the MP have always agreed not to reveal his name and have taken pains to protect his identity.

And it is in the council's own code of conduct that the identity of whistle-blowing staff should not be made public.

Championed by Mr Field, his claims have led to the suspension of a powerful council director and sparked a major investigation by local government watchdog the Audit Commission.

Mr Downey’s revelations sent shockwaves throughout the town hall when the audit report was made public last month.

The inquiry ruled the council’s now-suspended highways director, David Green, “had probably” broken European contract law.

Three other members of the council chief officer group were also suspended following the report’s publication.

Mr Downey continued: “I would like to stress this issue is not about me; there are four other whistleblowers in the group and without their continued efforts we would not be at the stage we are at today.

“We would like to thank the Globe for its continued support to the group and myself over the last 15 months.

“The best thing that has come out of this appalling situation is meeting Frank Field, who has not only supported the group in a remarkable and professional manner but also helped us on a personal level.

“He’s guided us through some very dark times and for that we will always be indebted to him and wish to assist him further in forcing repairs to this broken-backed council.”