A YORK parish councillor faces being kicked out after admitting working as a stripper and running a hardcore pornographic website.

Councillor Christine Cranfield, 35, told the Evening Press that she hopes to make hundreds of pounds selling sex videos filmed at her home in Brailsford Crescent, Clifton, under the pseudonym Angelique.

The former top-shelf model has spent £200 setting up the website, which features Christine engaged in sex acts and striptease.

It also shows photographs and offers live "text chat".

The revelations come only three months after she joined Clifton Without Parish Council because it was short of numbers.

But fellow councillors, who accepted her application in the knowledge that she was an "exotic dancer", will tonight discuss making a formal complaint about her actions, which could lead to her dismissal.

Divorcee Ms Cranfield admitted that her ten years' experience as a stripper at pubs and bars across the North was "unusual" for a parish councillor, but said other members did not object when she put it on her application.

She said: "I don't think they were bothered about it really. I think they said it was nice of me to mention it. I don't think it was a problem.

"Some people might think it was a good thing. There was that porn star that went for election in Italy. They thought she was very popular."

Vic Paylor, who has chaired the parish council for eight years, said he knew of her work but stressed that stripping was not illegal. He added that the council was also aware of the website, but not its explicit content.

He said: "We are quite surprised. I suppose the parish council has an open forum and a wide platform which attracts all sorts.

"But you never know what is going to come round the corner and what lurks behind faces.

"It's interesting to learn, and we are grateful for it being brought to our attention."

He added that elected representatives "could not condone pornographic activity within the council body" and that members would discuss what action to take.

John Cawston, acting head of legal services with City of York Council, said councillors had a duty not to conduct themselves in a manner "which could reasonably be regarded as bringing their office or authority into disrepute".

He said anyone who did break the rules faced being reported to the Standards Board for England and Wales.

The board's investigation can lead to the sacking of councillors. A spokeswoman for the Government body said no formal complaint against Ms Cranfield is currently being investigated.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, March 10, 2004