A grieving daughter was approached at her father's funeral by a council officer chasing her for his outstanding council tax.

Jenny Downey was quizzed by a Cherwell District Council officer after the service at Banbury's St John's Church as she was preparing for the burial of her father, John.

Mr Downey had worked for the council for more than 30 years.

Miss Downey was asked for her address and telephone number before the officer said he would be contacting her about council tax arrangements for her father's home in Bankside, Banbury.

The next day she received two texts and a phone call inquiring about her living arrangements and informing her tax collections forms would be sent to her.

Mr Downey had lived alone, qualifying for a 25 per cent discount on his council tax.

But for the final four months of his life, his daughter moved in to nurse him while he was dying of throat and liver cancer.

Miss Downey, 23, said: "The council has been absolutely awful about this.

"I don't think you can get much more insensitive than turning up at my dad's funeral. It's almost bordering on harassment.

"At the funeral the man said to me that my dad had pictures of me on his desk and then asked for my number.

"He said he needed to be in touch about council tax, because I was now living in the house and had to transfer the council tax bill from my dad's name.

"He approached me as my dad's coffin was being loaded into the hearse."

Mr Downey, who worked in the local taxation department for 30 years, was diagnosed with terminal cancer on September 19 last year, a day before his 60th birthday.

Miss Downey, a Durham University graduate, took over the council tax account after his death.

She settled her outstanding £250 bill immediately, but said she was appalled at being approached at the funeral on February 13, six days after her father died.

Miss Downey, who moved from London to look after her father, said: "They gave the impression they were trying to be nice but they were getting information out of me. I thought it was crass of them to behave like this.

"I expected more from the council, particularly because my dad worked for them for so long."

Julie Evans, the council's strategic director of customer service and resources, said: "We're sorry for any distress caused to Miss Downey and her family. We are investigating the circumstances and will contact Miss Downey to learn more about what happened at her father's funeral."

Last year, the council was owed £972,789 in council tax.