Wellington Town Council's clerk has been rebuked over 'unacceptable' comments he made about a disabled woman.

Town councillors have been seeking to distance themselves from Tony Brown's remarks that Pearl Buttle may be unsuitable to take part in the Community Speed Watch scheme because she is in a wheelchair.

Mr Brown is understood to have been given a dressing down in private - but Mrs Buttle is demanding a public apology.

Now she and Mr Brown, who declined to comment further this week, are set for a face-to-face showdown as the council seeks a wheelchair accessible venue for its next meeting on February 2.

And the council could end up in court as Mrs Buttle takes her complaint to the Disability Rights Commission, an independent body formed by the Government to tackle discrimination and promote equality.

"I feel something positive has got to come out of this and lessons be learned," said Mrs Buttle, who is president of the Helping Hands charity and a high profile campaigner for the community.

"My biggest concern is that you have got a clerk of the council, in the public eye, meeting people and displaying this sort of discrimination.

For the full story, see the Wellington edition of this week's (January 16) Somerset County Gazette.