A MEETING of a Ross-on-Wye Town Council had to be suspended recentlyfollowing a foul-mouthed outburst from its deputy mayor.

At the town council’s community, markets and tourism subcommittee, members were discussing the apparently innocuous matter of whether to continue to fund Park Yoga to the tune of £1,500, among other funding proposals for the coming year.

During its first year, the 20 sessions were held at the town’s bandstand at the Caroline Symonds Gardens between May and September, which drew an average of 54 participants a time, a report for the meeting said.

“It’s been a tremendous success,” subcommittee chairman Ed O’Driscoll told the meeting, adding the town council should make clear to the public its role in funding the sessions.

The town’s deputy mayor Cllr Julian Utting said: “It’s only 54 a week,” to which Cllr O’Driscoll interjected: “Which is great.”

“Well, there’s 11,000 people in Ross, that’s my point,” Cllr Utting responded and added “I understand, let me just f***ing finish – please.”

“Point of order, please, there’s no need for language,” Cllr O’Driscoll said amid some uproar.

“I’m constantly being interrupted,” Cllr Utting said.

“I just need time to get my point of view out, and I’m getting fed up of the constant interruption.”

“No offence, but if I said that to you then you would go mad at me, so mind your language,” another voice, believed to be that of Cllr Katie Fowler, can be heard saying.

Cllr O’Driscoll then suspended the meeting “for people to take a breath”.

Cllr Utting said: “I apologise for using offensive language. I do not apologise for stating my point of being constantly interrupted, which I felt I was.”

Cllr O’Driscoll can then be heard saying: “I thought the meeting was okay. I didn’t think that outburst was required at all.”

“I sometimes struggle to get my words out,” Cllr Utting replied, before the meeting resumed.