Parish pumped: two councillors trade insults and 'wrestle'

The agenda for the Middleton St George parish council meeting was quite ordinary: village show costs, condition of footpaths and a quote for a flagpole inspection.

- Mark Brown

But the meeting itself was more lively, with two councillors exchanging insults before a "wrestling match" that led to scratches, bleeding, a bruised finger and the destruction of spectacles said to be worth £325.

A meeting of Darlington borough council's standards committee next week will discuss a detailed investigation into the behaviour of the parish councillor David Darling and the borough councillor Colin Pease, who are in their 70s.

It will consider whether the pair breached codes of conduct in an altercation witnesses said involved raised voices, punches and a "rugby-type tackle".

Middleton St George is a pretty, generally sleepy, village near Teesside airport where not much happens.

But, according to the investigation, trouble flared at a meeting in May when Pease, a former RAF squadron leader, was called to give his ward councillor's report.