A councillor who swore at a resident during a meeting has blamed his outburst on the fact that he is from Portsmouth.

Richard Denton-White, who sits on Portland Town Council, made the comment during a discussion of plans to put up council tax in the Dorset borough.

The 67-year-old, who grew up in the Portsmouth area of Hampshire, said: ''In Portsmouth, because it's a sub-culture and I think it still exists, people respect each other but if they get disrespect then Portsmouth people are not prepared to walk away from that.

''Basically I was taught that you have to look after yourself and you stick up for yourself.''

He continued: ''I think Portsmouth people are lovely people, they are genuine, but I wouldn't say they are aggressive. If they feel natural justice is not being done, they will react and that means in a fairly forceful way.''