A row has broken out at a town hall about how the mayor should be addressed.

Councillor Sheila Player, a Liberal Democrat in Worthing, said she would refer to the Tory mayor, Tom Wye, as Councillor Wye rather than the traditional Mr Mayor.

She claimed that as Coun Wye was also Worthing's Conservative agent he was tainting the neutral position of mayor with party politics.

Coun Wye denied the accusation, insisting he never talked about politics while on civic duty.

The row boiled over at a meeting of the full council when Miss Player repeatedly called the mayor Councillor Wye.

Tory councillor, John Livermore, was incensed and called a point of order, which resulted in officers consulting the rulebook.

Coun Wye - or should that be Mr Mayor? - refused to get involved, saying there were far more important issues to deal with.

However, at the end of the meeting he made his displeasure clear before leaving the chamber.

Coun Wye, a former Major in the Royal Engineers, said: "Councillor Player told me a couple of weeks ago she would not refer to me as Mr Mayor. She told me that an agent cannot possibly be mayor.

"Throughout the council meeting she referred to me as Councillor Wye. Several members were quite incensed by this but I didn't take it personally and am not going to make a big issue about it.

"It is petty, but she was never rude. I do like traditions and it doesn't cost the council taxpayers anything. I think traditions are quaint and would like to see them upheld. I always observe the protocol. Courtesy costs nothing.

"The fact she is refusing to call me Mr Mayor tells people a lot more about Councillor Player than it does about Councillor Wye."

Bob Smytherman, leader of the Lib Dems, said Coun Player had very strong views, which he admired, about the mayor working for a political party.

He said: "You don't have to call anybody Mr Mayor or Madame Mayoress.

"There is nothing in the code of conduct. However, I am calling him Mr Mayor and so are most of my group."

Coun Smytherman described the atmosphere in the council chamber as "pretty nasty".

Another councillor said: "It was pathetic really."

Coun Player is a former leader of the council who was voted out of office two years ago after being lined up to become mayor.

She was re-elected to the Broadwater Ward last month.