Mayor who wore sausage suit to greet Olympic Torch hits back at critics

LOUTH'S mayor has criticised national news coverage of the controversial sausage costume she wore to welcome the Olympic Torch to the market town.

As reported, Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders dressed up as a sausage on Wednesday, despite criticism from residents that it was "embarrassing".

The publicity stunt has been featured in the national media after some residents described the pink costume as having a "rude" appearance. One claimed it "looked like something you would see on a stag do".

The mayor told the Telegraph: "The first thing I need to stress is that I did not do this as mayor, but a member of the town's food group.

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"I think the national coverage has cheapened what we stand for and the only reason it was done was to celebrate sausage day.

"It is sad that people have taken it the wrong way and have made silly comments about it.

"I do feel that people are very quick to judge and criticise, but I do a lot for our community and people should realise this.

"An example of this was when I was weeding a large flower bed on Friday night inWestgate so we were ready for the In Bloom competition.

"The costume itself came from the British Sausage Appreciation Society."

As reported, the stunt was prompted by East Lindsey District Council's challenge to get maximum publicity for the area's many charms during the Torch relay. The idea started sizzling to coincide the event with promoting the campaign for the Lincolnshire sausage.

But it prompted criticism from some town residents before it even happened, one of whom branded it as an "affront to the dignity" of Louth.

It was understood that the mayor and town councillors had received letters requesting for the "embarrassing" project to be abandoned.

But at the time, Mrs Makinson-Sanders said: "We have the opportunity to tell the world that we have brilliant multi-award winning independent butchers in our ancient market town and that Lincolnshire sausages are very special."

She said today: "I suppose that everyone in the country now knows where Louth is from all of this coverage."