A town councillor was kicked out of an online meeting after repeatedly interrupting proceedings.

In events similar to the chaotic Handforth Parish Council meeting in Cheshire which went viral, Peter Yeo was excluded from a Shaftesbury Town Council meeting.

Mayor Andy Hollingshead took the action - following a vote - after Cllr Yeo talked over others during a discussion on the budget despite being warned a number of times to keep quiet.

In a recording of the January 28 Zoom meeting (posted below on YouTube) Cllr Hollingshead warns Cllr Yeo he may be excluded.

Cllr Yeo complained he was 'exercising his human right' by trying to make a point of order - a move which was rejected.

After a vote was taken to exclude him Cllr Yeo complained it was 'against the law' to do so. He is then kicked out just shy of 21 minutes into the meeting.

Cllr Hollingshead then apologises to the public but said it was impossible for the meeting to carry on while Cllr Yeo was interrupting proceedings.

Cllr Yeo said afterwards it was not the first time he had been excluded.

He said: "It's an ongoing issue. It stems from a meeting in February last year when I was apparently breaching the peace after raising issue with council accounts.

"I have been kicked out of numerous meetings since July due to issues that the council is not producing a true record of the meeting."

Cllr Yeo claimed he has been attempting to question the conduct of the council.

Cllr Alex Chase, who was interrupted at the meeting, said: "The issues he [Cllr Yeo] raises are not the problem. The issue is the way he keeps obstructing the meetings.

"He interrupts people and won't listen to others."

Cllr Hollingshead said: "The council has not been able to sign off the accounts because two councillors keep raising issue with them, which stops the auditors from doing their job.

"Regarding not showing true records, I believe Mr Yeo is referring to the council minutes.

"We cannot quote his issues verbatim because it would produce too many pages, hundreds possibly - it's not practical.

"He is a councillor and he is bound by legal documents and must follow a code of conduct."

Cllr Hollingshead agreed council meetings can get heated at times.

He said: "I know there are other councils in Dorset with problems too, but that isn't an unusual concern.

"The council chamber is a place of work.

"This behaviour is unforgivable and unacceptable - and needs to stop."