TWO campaigning councillors featured on a BBC One show after celebrating the birthday of a fallen lamp post.

Colchester Labour councillors Dave Harris and Chris Pearson shared a photograph of themselves posing with a birthday cake next to a lamp post in Mersea Road.

The lamp post was knocked over a year ago when a car crashed into it.

The photograph was posted in a bid to raise awareness and urge Essex County Council to take action and fix it.

However, it also attracted the attention of producers of the leading satirical news show Have I Got News For You.

HERE'S HOW THEIR FAME (OF SORTS) BEGAN 

The show quizzes celebrity guests on the latest news, and in the most recent episode team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop were joined by guest host David Mitchell and panellists Andy Hamilton and Deborah Frances-White.

The councillors’ picture was featured at the end of the show, during a round where guests have to guess the last word of a news headline.

The line said Men in Essex throw birthday party for -.

A delighted Mr Harris said it was great to get the airtime on such a big show.