A VALE parish councillor cautioned and questioned over alleged racially motivated remarks against gipsies has dismissed the incident as 'absolute nonsense'.

Cleeve Prior parish councillor Richards Beddows and council chairman Richard Lasota were interviewed by Cambridgeshire police, following a public meeting in July. The pair attended the meeting in Cottenham, an area experiencing problems with an illegal gipsy site, to discuss their own experiences.

A member of the public made an official complaint the following day, July 14, about insulting language used at the meeting. On October 1 the councillors were contacted by Cambridgeshire officers and informed they would be arrested and interviewed the following week at Evesham police station.

Cllr Beddows said: "I thought it was a wind-up and I was a bit dismissive at first, but then a letter came through. The complaint was specifically against the two people from Worcestershire. The whole thing is an absolute nonsense - I didn't even speak at the meeting so it's a bit of a joke.

"These officers came all the way from Cambridge to talk a load of codswallop and that takes some understanding. It has got to be investigated but they have only got to ask the local bobby what took place. He was there until the end of the meeting and left long after us.

"I asked why they had not come to us straight away but the officer said there had been holiday commitments. The whole meeting was videoed for television and I asked them why they didn't look at that - they said they had to get a court order for that.

"They are going to let us know what the end result is but I'm not too worried. All of Cottenham Parish Council have said they will come forward as witnesses on my behalf."

Spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police, Keeley Smith said: "We have to take all reports seriously. A number of people were interviewed at the time and inquires are still ongoing."