A local councillor who calls the numbers at charity bingo sessions has stopped saying "two fat ladies 88" and "legs 11" because council officials fear players might take offence and sue.

Pensioner John Sayers, who runs weekly games in the town hall in Sudbury, Suffolk, said no-one had complained about being offended - but players moaned that his numbers-only style was "boring".

Mr Sayers, 75, a member of Sudbury Town Council and former town mayor, said a council clerk advised him to cut the traditional comic calls in case the authority found itself in hot water.

"The concern was that if there might be two large ladies in the audience when I said 'two fat ladies 88' or someone might think I was looking at their legs when I said 'legs 11'," he said.

"I was advised that someone might take offence and we could end up being taken to court."

He added: "I don't like. No-one had ever complained about being offended. But they moan now they say it's boring. And I think just saying the numbers is boring too.

"I'm obviously not being offensive - just having a bit of fun. It's the tradition of the game and part of our language."