LABOUR chiefs have defended a "Balls-up" in hundreds of letters sent to businesses in Bolton — after getting their sums wrong on ticket prices for a meet-and-greet with the shadow chancellor.

The office of Julie Hilling, MP for Bolton West, sent an invitation to entrepreneurs and traders to attend a business gala dinner with Ed Balls on January 30, as a fundraiser for her campaign.

The letter said tickets were available at a cost of £50 per person but went on to say that a table of 10 would be £1,000 — double the correct price.

Conservative councillor Martyn Cox, who represents Westhoughton North and Chew Moor, received the letter and said the note had prompted "great hilarity" among his business associates.

He said: “We know Labour has got a poor track record when it comes to the nations finances but this confirms what we all suspected — their figures never add up.

“£50 each or 10 for £1000 just about sums up Labour’s understanding of business.”

Chris Green, the Conservative candidate for Bolton West at May’s election, added: “The big question at the coming election is our recovering economy from the great recession.

“If Labour can’t do their basic maths, how can we trust them with the recovery?”

No reason was given for the error, but a spokesman for the Labour party said they offered a lower price for individual tickets to small businesses, to encourage "more engagement" with the event.

Ms Hilling fought back, arguing Labour was the better choice for businesses looking for support following the next election.

She said: “This is a desperate move from a desperate Tory party commenting on the logistics of a business fundraising event designed to boost our local economy.

“Labour is still the party of business. We will back British businesses by cutting business rates and establishing a proper British Investment Bank.

“The Tories are set to outspend Labour three to one in this election. Despite this, their ability to cut essential services but not the deficit means that the people of Bolton West are worse off under this Tory-led government.

“It is only Labour who have the answers for saving the NHS and raising living standards.”

It is not the first gaffe involving Mr Balls, who was mocked online after he accidentally tweeted his own name in 2011.

The original message was re-tweeted more than 25,000 times, and people still mark Ed Balls Day on April 28 each year.