Persistent flooding in Mylor was again at the centre of a row at the parish council meeting this week as members overturned a controversial decision to pay for a pipe to be fixed.

Councillors voted five to three on a special resolution to reverse an earlier decision to repair a pipe running under Mylor Playing Fields. It was a decision made on advice from county council area surveyor Adrian Drake that they could be liable for accidents caused by flooding on Waterings Road.

The earlier resolution bound the parish council to pay half of the minimum of £4,000 needed for the repairs. The county council had offered to pay the other half.

The row emerged over the cause of the flooding and who has ultimate responsibility for the playing fields pipe.

Chairman Tony Andrew opened the debate by revealing that a letter, signed by four councillors including himself, requesting the decision be overturned had been submitted to the clerk.

Mr Andrew said that the area had flooded twice over the past three weeks and he had removed leaves from what he claimed was "inefficient drainage" on the road - the responsibility, he claimed, of the county council.

Mike Burden, who had also signed the letter, attacked the earlier decision: "This council was wrong to make that decision. Road water is not our responsibility," he said.

"You all got frightened when Adrian Drake said we were responsible. Mr Drake doesn't frighten me. If we go ahead and spend that money then we will be getting a visit from the auditors."

Stephen Andrew added: "I do believe that the problem is on the highway, but could we clarify that it's the playing fields committee and not Mylor parish council who has responsibility for the pipe?"

Judith Whiteley told her fellow councillors: "We all know perfectly well that the playing fields committee does not have money to cover any compensation if there is an accident. If there is one then we will be the ones who have to cough up."

Supporting Mrs Whiteley, Dorrett Smith said: "I would like to remind you all that we made the decision with an overwhelming majority. We live in an era of crafty litigation and if we neglect to do these repairs then it will be a dereliction of our responsibilities."

The final resolution of the council was not to pay for the repairs and to advise the playing fields committee it could be left liable.