Brownstock festival directors have made a formal complaint about a councillor’s behaviour during a licensing hearing.

Stephen Savage, one of three councillors on Maldon District Council’s licensing sub-committee, had claimed the festival’s safety and evacuation plans could lead to “another Hillsborough”.

Following the hearing, directors Adam Brown and Ralph Broadbent, said they were “appalled by the unprofessional behaviour of Councillor Savage and were particularly shocked by his comment regarding the Hillsborough disaster.”

They also felt it showed a lack of understanding of the event, held at Morris Farm in Stow Maries, and that the comment was “extremely disrespectful to the people involved in the Hillsborough disaster.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that the council has received and responded to a letter from solicitors representing the Brownstock organisers."

Mr Savage said: “I cannot pass comment on something I have not seen.”