Keighley Mayor, Councillor Brian Hudson, has strongly rejected suggestions that the town council is "undemocratic".

However, he added he believed two of its councillors had been the subject of a "witch hunt".

He was responding to public reaction to reports that two councillors were warned about their letters to the Keighley News, published late last year.

Cllr David Samuels wrote a letter criticising members of the town council's Management and Staffing Committee. Cllr Judith Brooksbank sent a letter explaining how she openly stood for the council as a Liberal Democrat.

Cllr Hudson told council members: "I'm not undemocratic and I don't believe most of you are. I'm sure you believe in freedom of speech."

He said he would have been happy to deal with Cllrs Samuels and Brooksbank by means of an informal word behind the scenes.

However, he said other councillors overruled him and insisted on a more formal, severe warning.

"I believe there has been a witch hunt against two councillors and I wonder who is going to be next," he said.