Louth mayor defends Olympic torch relay sausage costume

A Lincolnshire town's mayor has rejected calls for her to resign after she wore a sausage costume for the Olympic torch's visit.

Jill Makinson-Sanders wore the outfit in Louth last week to show her support for the Lincolnshire sausage.

But some residents accused her of turning the town into a laughing stock after photos were widely circulated on the internet.

Ms Makinson-Sanders said she only had the town's best interests at heart.

She explained the costume was intended to help promote the campaign to win protected food status for the Lincolnshire sausage.

'Laughing at her'

But photos from the day were quickly shared across the internet.

Jill Makinson-Sanders said she was "quite a serious person"

Resident Kate Levy, one of several residents to have accused Ms Makinson-Sanders of embarrassing the town, said: "Whilst we do want publicity for Louth, we don't want ignominy and notoriety which is what we've got.

"People are laughing at her and not with her."

But traders and other residents have backed Ms Makinson-Sanders who said she had no intention of resigning.

She said: "We just wanted publicity for Louth being a good food town.

"I've only ever got Louth's best interests at heart so I wouldn't have done anything to damage the town because I don't think like that.

"I'm quite a serious person under all of this."