Two councillors have been cleared of alleged threatening behaviour at a council meeting.

Adur District Council's standards committee threw out complaints against former Labour group leader Mike Willson and Lib Dem leader Pat Beresford on Thursday.

They had been accused of shouting at chairman Don Phillips during a full council meeting in July.

The standards committee found there was no case to answer against either councillor and ruled no action should be taken.

Coun Beresford said today: "The committee kicked the thing out and Coun Willson and I have had our names cleared.

"Bringing the complaints in the first place was simply petty, small-minded behaviour.

"What is important is that the way in which council agendas are drawn up and discussed are confused and restrict debate. That is the point we were trying to make.

"Mike Willson and I do not often agree but we do see eye to eye on this one. It may be that he and I get together in the future to see if we can find a way of improving the system."

Conservative councillor Melanie Blunden lodged a complaint about both councillors at the meeting.

Fellow Tory councillor Andrew McGregor also made a separate complaint about the alleged behaviour of Coun Beresford.

He was said to have shouted at Coun Phillips after failing to get an item included on the agenda.

It was claimed he jumped to his feet at least twice and started banging the table and shouting.

Coun Willson was also alleged to have shouted at the chairman, accusing him of denying council members freedom to speak.

Both councillors denied they had been aggressive and said what had happened had been normal "robust" behaviour, which happened at most council meetings.

Coun Willson was unavailable for comment yesterday.