Labour mayor's trousers fall down... as he speaks to library full of schoolchildren

As far as wardrobe malfunctions go, this surely has to be one of the most unlikely, not to mention unexpected.



But the Lord Mayor of Leicester was left red-faced yesterday after his trousers fell down as he stood up to give a speech in a library packed with schoolchildren.

Labour mayor Colin Hall's embarrassing gaffe, which drew gasps and giggles from the assembled youngsters, took place at what was supposed to be an education showcase.

Gaffe: Leicester mayor Colin Hill's trousers fell down yesterday as he stood up to give a speech in a library packed with schoolchildren

Instead local pupils were treated to a side to the mayor, who has only been in office for a month, they had never anticipated.

One onlooker said: 'It was like something from Benny Hill. No-one knew where to look. There were a few laughs from the children, but it was a pretty toe-curling moment.

'Surely he should've been wearing a belt? It was a pretty basic error.



'He looked embarrassed and quickly pulled his trousers up, but by then it was too late. The damage was done.

'It's not the kind of thing you expect to see happen to a Lord Mayor.'

But Mr Hall, 46, blamed his incident on his, apparently successful, new diet.

He said: 'While giving a vote of thanks, I suffered a problem with my trousers. I had chosen not to wear a belt and the trousers came loose and fell.

'I would like to offer my deepest apologies to anyone who was offended by the accident.'

In a posting to his 123 followers on the Twitter networking website, he added: 'Two days ago, I was wondering how to publicise the progress of my diet. I hear, though, this issue may be resolved very soon...'

Mr Hall is dieting with the help of fitness guru Rosemary Conley.

His wardrobe malfunction is the second time the mayor has hit the headlines in a week.

Mr Hall, an atheist, was condemned by the local diocese as well as Church of England groups, after he ended the tradition of Christian prayers before council meetings.

He boasted of his 'delight' at being able to end the tradition as mayor of Leicester, his home city.

Announcing the decision in a secularist group's monthly newsletter, Mr Hall said prayers were 'outdated, unnecessary and intrusive' and added they would no longer be said before meetings at Leicester Town Hall.

The East Midlands city is regarded as the most multi-faith and multi-ethnic outside London, with 36 per cent of residents from ethnic minorities, according to the 2001 census.