Downham Market town councillors quit in protest over alleged bullying, harassment and abuse
Watch our report from Natalie Gray
A Norfolk town council has been plunged into disarray after eight members quit over claims of bullying, harassment and abuse.
They included the mayor and deputy mayor of Downham Market, who made emotional speeches before walking out of a public meeting in protest, leaving confused looks among other members and the public gallery.
Former deputy mayor Jackie Westrop said: "I did not become a councillor to be spat at, verbally abused in public, abused on social media on a regular basis or harassed in my own home."
A joint resignation letter blamed councillor Douglas Lawson for leading a campaign of bullying against the town clerk Elaine Oliver who has also quit.
Jenny Groom, the former mayor, said: "We will not stand by and collude with the scurrilous behaviour of those councillors whose ongoing misogynistic, racist, homophobic and generally bigoted discriminatory behaviour has been directed not only at the clerk and staff but also at fellow councillors and members of the public they purport to serve."
Mr Lawson, the man named in the resignation letter, responded to the claims after the meeting by telling ITV News Anglia they were "Jackanory".
He said: "There's a lot of fiction, a lot of false accusations and I don't actually recognise any of that."
When asked about the fact that there was now no women left on the council, he said: "I don't think it's a gender-based thing at all. I just think it's down to individual personality.
"It's a great shame that the women decided to go and hopefully we can get some women to replace them."
The arguments centre on a long-running row following changes the council made to the town's market after the first Covid lockdown.
Two other councillors resigned last month, meaning that half of all councillors in the town have now left their roles.
Simon Gomes Da Costa is one of the eight councillors who resigned. He believes without women, or gay men like him, it should be a worry for the local MP Liz Truss, who as well as being foreign secretary is also minister for women and equalities.
He said: "There's going to be no women or minorities left on this council. It's going to be purely men, predominantly over the age of 50, all white, and that is just despicable."