And what fun they had! More than 20 leading councillors and senior executives experienced what it's like to work at the sharp end of customer services as part of a national week to celebrate customer service.

Among those taking part were council leader Peter Smith, who spent a morning on the reception desk at Leigh Sports Village and deputy leader Coun David Molyneux who joined his cabinet colleague Chris Ready in the council's CCTV room.

Children's cabinet champion Coun Susan Loudon served up school dinners at St George's primary school in Atherton.

Coun Ready said: "The aim was to highlight the importance of our front line staff and to understand how we can support them to deliver top quality services to our customers."

Chief executive Joyce Redfearn spent time as a passenger assistant working with special needs children, finance boss David Smith worked on the council's switchboard taking calls from members of the public, while environmental services director Martin Kimber became a parking warden, also known as a Civil Enforcement Officer.

Ms Redfearn said: "There is a very serious purpose to all this. We are aiming to be an outstanding council and the experience our customers receive when dealing with us is really important."

Coun Barry Fagan, from the Community Action Party, said: "Working with the lads at the waste depot in Atherton was a real eye opener. I was so impressed with the way in which residents put their paper out and the professionalism of the workers."