A city transport chief has abandoned an inquiry into how the local newspaper identified a new park-and-ride site - when the paper revealed HE was the source!

The Leicester Mercury decided to save the council time and money by revealing it was Coun Gary Hunt himself - the man who ordered an investigation into what he thought was a leak.

He told councillors: "The report in the Mercury came from a draft confidential briefing from officers that was passed to me … and it was only seen by myself and the leader. There will be an inquiry."

But the Mercury has revealed how the councillor inadvertently singled out the preferred option from two to a reporter.

On the consultants' original map, which was in the public domain, the Mercury was able to highlight "site 27", next to the original park-and-ride site, and another "site 33", which was opposite.

When the paper asked Coun Hunt if it was a waste of time to spend a year only to find a site across the road from the original one, he answered the question and inadvertently confirmed that it was "site 33".

The Mercury said: "We did not receive a leaked report, and there was no need for an inquiry."

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