HISTORY buffs calling a museum in Essex were left shocked when they were connected to an explicit adult chat line.

James Hore

HISTORY buffs calling a museum in Essex were left shocked when they were connected to an explicit adult chat line.

Instead of getting through to a helpdesk at Chelmsford Museum people were put through to the premium rate number offering “Asian babes” at a cost of 35 pence per minute.

The mix-up happened after the museum's old telephone number was sold on to an adult service.

Red-faced council bosses have reminded people of the museum's new number, but admitted yesterday there was nothing they could do to stop the problem.

Anyone calling the old number is told they have to be 18 or over and that the service offers the “hottest selection of Asian babes for you today”.

Chelmsford Borough Council's director of corporate services, Louise Goodwin, said she wanted to remind people of the museum's correct number which has been in place for about two years.

She said: “Having been made aware of the fact that the old museum telephone number is now an adult chat line, the council has tried to ensure that wherever possible, the old number no longer appears in any of its publications, adverts or on our website.

“Inevitably there will be a few places where it might still appear, such as old leaflets or third party websites and publications, and we would urge people to check before they call.”

Mrs Goodwin added: “It is obviously far from ideal that one of our old telephone numbers has now been sold on to such a service.

“The council has spoken at length with NTL:Telewest and has been advised that there is nothing we can do about it.

“We are, however, committed to protecting vulnerable residents, such as children, from exposure to unsuitable material, and are doing all we can to advise potential visitors to the museum to call the correct number.”

The correct number is 01245 605700.