Mystery of the 偽の 市長 of Stafford: Fraudster tricks entire town with 偽の Twitter account showing him wearing 市長の chain, congratulating 年輩の 居住（者）s on their birthdays and even cutting the 略章 at Alton Towers

• Prankster has 始める，決める up spoof Twitter account 指名するd @mayorofstafford
• He tweets about his 義務s and was even pictured '開始' Alton Towers
• 政治家，政治屋s don't see funny 味方する because it brings 'mayoralty into disrepute'

By Sam Webb

Published: 12:00 BST, 27 March 2014 | Updated: 15:34 BST, 27 March 2014

A prankster has fooled a town's 居住（者）s into believing he is their 市長 after setting up a spoof Twitter account.

Prankster James Billington has managed to trick 地元のs, 政治家，政治屋s and 商売／仕事s into thinking he is the real 市長 of Stafford.

He has uploaded pictures to his Twitter account @mayorofstafford of himself wearing a 市長の chain and even cutting the 略章 at an '開始' at Alton Towers 主題 Park.

義務s: One of the pictures from the Twitter account of the hoax 市長 of Stafford. James Billington has fooled 居住（者）s into thinking he 持つ／拘留するs the esteemed 儀式の position

'市長 Billington' visits a building 場所／位置 in Staffordshire, 賞賛するing the 商売／仕事 for 投資するing in his town. He has even 手渡すd out badges 説: 'I'm the 市長 of Stafford'

The joker, believed to be in his 30s, has also been 元気づける on competitors in a half マラソン and congratulating 年輩の 居住（者）s on their birthday whilst wearing his livery collar.

On his bio he 明言する／公表するs: 'I'm James Billington, the 現在の 市長 of Stafford. Delighted to be 代表するing the town of Stafford & surrounding areas. 見解（をとる）s are my own.'

James - who has no affiliation with Stafford Borough 会議 どれでも- has even made his own badges which proudly 明言する／公表する: 'I'm The 市長 Of Stafford'.

< p class="imageCaption">Bit of fun: But the 偽の Twitter account has attracted the 怒らせる of 地元の 政治家，政治屋s

But since his fictional life （機の）カム to light Stafford Borough 会議 have now asked Twitter to shut 負かす／撃墜する the 偽の account.

Their 活動／戦闘s were 誘発するd by a （民事の）告訴 from the 市長 of Shrewsbury Jon Tandy who was angry when he was compared to a 'bad guy' from Superman 2.

On March 21 James tweeted: '株ing a 会合 with the 市長 of Shrewsbury today. Never liked him. Reminds me of one of the bad guys from Superman 2.'

To which Cllr Tandy replied: 'Never had the 楽しみ of 会合 @mayorofstafford .

'Surprised by his tweet today. Maybe he was 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセスd or mistaken?"

After it was pointed out the real 市長 of Stafford is 労働 議員 Angela Loughran, who has held the 儀式の 役割 for ten months, he then complained to the 会議.'

Today Cllr Loughran said: 'Nobody minds a bit of fun on social マスコミ.

'But it is 容認できない that this person is 趣旨ing to be the 市長 of Stafford and making disparaging 発言／述べるs about another 市長.

'This is bringing the mayoralty into disrepute.'

A 広報担当者 from Stafford Borough 会議 確認するd: 'We received an email from Shrewsbury Town 会議 who were unimpressed with comments made on Twitter which had come from an account with the 指名する James Billington 趣旨ing to be the "mayorofstafford".'

Billington even managed to dupe 主題 park 巨大（な）s Alton Towers after tweeting them 説: 'Looking 今後 to 開始/…に出席するing @altontowers tomorrow! Britain's best 主題 park in 広大な／多数の／重要な #Staffordshire.'

They 答える／応じるd with: '@mayorofstafford We look 今後 to seeing you for our £OpeningWeekend! It's going to be 広大な／多数の／重要な! :-).'

と一緒に the image of him cutting a 略章, he tweeted: 'Honoured to open @altontowers for their 2014 season today! #OpeningWeekend #staffordshirehour #Staffordshire.'

地位，任命するing a picture of his home-made badges he 追加するd: 'Looking 今後 to giving out these badges to the 広大な／多数の／重要な people of #Stafford over the next few weeks!'

The real one: The actual 市長 of Stafford Angela Loughran, pictured at a event held for the 市長's charity. 権利, a young political 支持者 proudly 陳列する，発揮するs her badge

Another picture shows him at a building 場所／位置 in a high-vis jacket and helmet with the caption: 'Was very pleased to be part of the building 過程 of new 商売／仕事s in #Stafford area this morning #投資.'

Some of the tweets from fooled 居住（者）s 含む Jack Hughes who said: 'Any comment on the Boro 会議 スキャンダル, you Worshipful and esteemed 市長? Will you all 辞職する now?'

Stafford 一連の会議、交渉／完成する （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する even 招待するd Billington to one of their fundraising events, 追加するing: 'Fancy joining us on one of our 近づいている social events? #makefriends #havefun #dosomegood'

地元の Stafford 調書をとる／予約する Club also 招待するd him to 促進する on of their events, 説: '#mayorofstafford Hi, we're 開始する，打ち上げるing a new 調書をとる／予約する club in Stafford soon, any chance of a RT?'

に引き続いて his tweet regarding the 市長 of Shrewsbury, Kevin Tanner (@kevtan1066) tweeted: '@mayorofstafford what the hell? Is this a joke, in very poor taste! If it isn't you should 辞職する now!'

His bizarre 活動／戦闘s have drawn a mixed 返答 from 居住（者）s living in the Midlands town, which has a 全住民 of 122,000.

Awesome: A bizarre tweet plugging the Midlands town

Dad-of-one James Longley, 33, said: 'He seems happy to be parading around in his chains 事実上の／代理 like the 市長, but it needs to stop.

'There will be people wanting to speak to the 市長 on serious 問題／発行するs, but this man is 簡単に a 詐欺.'

Another 居住（者） Bal Singh, 22, 追加するd: 'I feel so stupid, I believed it was him. How many people know the 指名する of their town 市長? There was no 推論する／理由 to disbelieve him.

'You've got to see the funny 味方する though. So many people fell for it.'