DORSET police are investigating claims of a non-injury assault by the Conservative leader of Christchurch council on a fellow member.

As the Echo reported yesterday, last year's Mayor, Cllr Fred Neale claims Cllr Ray Nottage repeatedly swore and pushed him by the shoulder after Tuesday's heated council meeting.

Independent Cllr Neale has made a formal complaint to the council's monitoring officer.

He also now reported the matter to the police who took a statement from him on Friday.

A Dorset police spokesman confirmed that an allegation of assault, causing no injury, had been lodged following an incident in the members' room at the Civic Offices last Tuesday evening and they would be investigating.

The alleged incident happened after a fraught four hour council meeting at which merger with Bournemouth and a vote of no confidence in Ray Nottage. Cllr Neale spoke in support of the motion and urged Cllr Nottage to quit.

The leader of the Independent group, Cllr Colin Bungey has written to chief executive, David McIntosh, demanding an internal inquiry into the incident.

Cllr Nottage confirmed that he had used an expletive but denies anything else happened. He was "working with officers who are investigating the complaint."