A sacked Manchester council worker has been questioned by police over an alleged £28,000 town hall fraud, the M.E.N. can reveal.

The money is said to have been taken from council coffers through a series of payments over three years between 2009 and 2012.

Town hall bosses discovered something was wrong during an internal audit last year and an investigation was immediately launched.

This was then followed by internal disciplinary proceedings and a 47-year-old man who was working in the town hall’s finance department was sacked over the alleged fraud.

The matter was referred to police and officers interviewed the former employee under caution last month, on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position.

A police spokeswoman said: “On June 12, police received a report of fraud from an organisation based in Albert Square in Manchester.

“The alleged offences took place between 2009 and 2012. GMP’s economic crime unit has launched an investigation and on Thursday January 30, a 47-year-old man was interviewed under caution for fraud by abuse of position.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

A spokesman for Manchester council confirmed a member of staff had been dismissed from the council’s finance department after an internal investigation.