AN investigation has been launched after a Hampshire council published residents’ signatures on its website.

Civic bosses have now issued a public apology following the blunder which council tax payers claim put them at risk of fraud.

Publication of the signatures also breaks strict local government rules designed to protect people from crime.

Residents of Lower Buckland in Lymington innocently gave their addresses and signed a petition in favour of a flats development.

They say the last thing they expected was to see their details open to public scrutiny on New Forest District Council’s website.

One woman said: “I always thought it would be illegal to do that. There was no conversation with me prior to doing it.”

A council spokesman said: “We are profoundly sorry this has happened.

We are a human and humane organisation and we were mortified when we found this out.

“As well as immediately removing the information from the website, an investigation has begun into how this error was made. This will identify what action needs to be taken to prevent this happening again.”