LIDO campaigners have hit out at a councillor who dubbed them 'backward Socialist/Liberal troglodytes'.

District councillor Andrew Christian-Brookes (Con-Lovett and North Claines) criticised the yellow ribbon campaign designed to show support for renovating the lido. In a letter published in last week's Advertiser, he wrote: "The opening of Waitrose moves the town forward into a brighter future than that offered by the backward Socialist/Liberal troglodytes who use the lido only for pre-electioneering purposes." And he added: "They have been fly-tipping yellow ribbons around the town - another mess that will have to be cleared up at local taxpayers' expense."

But Ian Wild of the Save A Lido Today (SALT) group said: "It's vital to remember that the yellow ribbons are being tied on by Wychavon residents, not by SALT. So Cllr Christian-Brookes is insulting the very people that it is his duty to represent. Considering that townsfolk wanted to withhold council tax payments to protest against the closure of the lido, you could say that such remarks are at best ill-informed and at worst could incite residents to undertake far more drastic forms of protest."

Mr Wild said: "Certain Conservative councillors seem determined to turn the lido into a political football. I think it is very wrong to try to make the future of such a nationally-important attraction a party-political issue. It is the heritage of and civic pride in Droitwich we should be considering."