HE was facing the night-mayor of losing what he believes is “the best job in the world”.

But days after Southampton's mayor learned he had lost the title 12 days early, he's now been told he can continue to wear the chains of office.

Red-faced council officials have been forced to apologise to Terry Matthews after admitting they got it wrong when they said he would not be able to continue in the ceremonial position.

In the aftermath of last week's election, Southampton City Council issued a statement to the Daily Echo saying that because the Tory had lost his seat, he could no longer attend official functions as mayor.

Legal bosses said Mr Matthews' only remaining role would be to formally hand over the mayoral chains at the mayor-making ceremony in the Guildhall next Wednesday.

After he demanded urgent talks to clarify the situation, they've now admitted they got it wrong, but only after he left people disappointed by cancelling two appointments, including one at a school.

Mr Matthews said: “I didn't know anything about it until I read the article in the Echo, and I was furious.

“Because it was a long weekend I had to wait until Tuesday, when I had a word with (head council lawyer) Mark Heath about this issue.

“He said he's got no hang up about me carrying on, and we should have had a meeting on Friday, but he said he thought it would be too raw for me.

“It was all a big miscommunication, but if someone from the council had just spoken to me it could have all been avoided.

“I've thoroughly enjoyed being mayor, and it's important you carry it on to hand it over to the new mayor.

“Going from one function to the other is absolutely marvellous, because of all the people you meet in Southampton you would never meet in normal life.

“I've met royalty seven times this year, which you wouldn't normally do in your life, and I've met high-profile people like Shirley Bassey.”

A council spokesperson confirmed that despite the initial belief there “may have been an issue” about Mr Matthews continuing as mayor, the rules have now been clarified.

He said Mr Matthews has “full authority” to continue to fulfil duties, many of which have been carried out with his mayoress, wife Lesley, and have seen him raise thousands of pounds for his chosen charities, the Alzheimer's Society and Gift of Sight.

Yesterday, he was back in the Mayor's Parlour at the Civic Centre, meeting the Fote Fore acrobatic troupe from Guinea, who are this week performing in Cirque Mandingue at the Nuffield Theatre.

The spokeperson said: “We apologise for the initial error in the information we gave but at the time, we had not had the opportunity to discuss the position with the relevant officers, and answered the question posed to us in good faith and in accordance with our understanding of the position.”

What the council said about the mayor's position

Friday: “As Cllr Matthews has lost his seat, he won't continue as mayor for the next 10 days but he will attend Mayor Making to handover. The Mayor's engagement will be done by the Sheriff but Terry Matthews will be at the Mayor making ceremony.”

Tuesday: “The Monitoring Officer and Director of Corporate Services has clarified that the position is the same as has applied before in this council and others, namely that the Mayor remains the Mayor until the AGM, and has full authority to fulfil his duties.”