Councillors left feeling blue after Avatar glitch hits website

Due to a technical problem, the profile pages of some members on the Ryedale District Council website featured photographs of them with a dark blue skin colour.

The error has led to comparisons being drawn between the affected councillors and characters from the hit science-fiction movie Avatar.

Coun Geoffrey Acomb, 67, said: "It is quite amusing really. The first I heard of it was when somebody rang me and said why has your face turned blue?

"I checked myself and I certainly looked a bit different.

"I have seen the adverts for Avatar but that is stretching the imagination, council work is much less exciting.

"I'm not a computer wizard but I assume something must have gone wrong down the line."

Today the council has apologised after coun David Jackson, who died recently, was also printed with a blue face next to an announcement of his funeral

Ryedale council has apologised for the mistake which it attributes to problems with the latest version of Internet Explorer.

A spokesman said: "The technical issue is currently being resolved.

"We apologise for any inconvenience it has caused.

"If we have caused any distress we are deeply apologetic."