ARTISTS in Lyme Regis will have to submit their work for councillors to judge the quality after part of the sculpture trail was described as 'looking like litter' by a councillor.

Members of Lyme Regis Town Council's town management committee offered their support for a new sculpture trail for next year, but that the pieces of art should be 'exciting and different'.

Speaking at last week's committee meeting, Cllr Brian Larcombe said: "Looking at some of them, I have thought 'is that really a sculpture or is it something else?'

"I don't want it to be felt like I'm judging these things, but there is one by the Town Mill that I thought looked like litter.

"Shouldn't we have any say on what is put up as a sculpture in these areas?"

Cllr Larcombe said he didn't want to 'hurt the feelings of the artists concerned'.

He then added: "The one in Langmoor Gardens and the one near the Town Mill, some holidaymakers in fact asked me if it was litter.

"They couldn't see what the sculpture was. I suggest that sculptures submit their work."

Mayor Owen Lovell said that councillors were shown what would be displayed before permission was given for 'The Kiss', 'Ox-Head Woman' and 'Pod' to be displayed.

He said: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

"It's objective for individuals.

"We did have an indication of what was being offered before it was put up."

Councillors were also asked if they wished for a wooden painted gazebo, known as 'Reform' to continue being displayed.

Cllr Larcombe said: "I just personally would like to call time on that and have it painted and restored back to its proper condition.

"It looks very close to a form of graffiti. I would suggest that we don't entertain that kind of sculpture in that kind of place again and it comes back to this question of quality."

Operations manager Elliott Herbert will be re-painting the gazebo in the coming weeks.

Cllr Richard Doney suggested that the sculpture trail should continue next year.

He said: "We should be able to say to the art community, we are happy to have sculptures in our gardens, but they need to be exciting and different.

"It is just another attraction for the town. We need to encourage them."

Subject to full council approval, the sculptures in Langmoor Gardens will be taken down by the end of October and artists wanting to take part in next year's sculpture will be invited to submit their work.