More information is needed before a decision over whether to keep 'iconic' wooden huts is made, a meeting heard.

Councillors at a meeting of Lyme Regis Town Council's highways and management committee were split over whether to replace the Cart Road beach huts with new wooden ones or to use a composite 'maintenance free' material.

The council owns 34 huts on Cart Road, which a report describes as 'the iconic image of any visit to Lyme Regis'. There are also 31 privately owned huts. But they have all been battered by bad weather and are now in a poor state of repair.

The report discussed by councillors provided two options: to replace the huts with new wooden ones at a cost of up to £2800 per hut, or to replace the huts with composite 'maintenance-free' material at a cost of £4400 per hut with a 10 year guarantee.

Cllr Cheryl Reynolds said: "I'd just like to say that I love wooden beach huts and hate the fibre ones."

Cllr Jeff Scowen agreed. "My favoured is to stick with the iconic looking wooden huts and put up with maintenance costs.

"However they need the right maintenance and right paint, otherwise we might end up with a dog's dinner."

The committee decided that further information was needed before a decision is made.

Councillors asked for clarification on whether huts would remain stationary or be moved during bad weather.

A decision was also made for councillors to either visit the manufacturer of the composite huts to see whether they differed to the wooden ones, or to visit a resort where composite huts are in place.

Cllr Scowen added: "We do need to see one physically. I certainly would like to see one and go to a resort to see them there."

The issue will be brought back to the committee once more information is available, and any recommendations will be put forward to a meeting of the full council for a final decision.