A row has erupted over which council should have ownership of a town's mayoral robes and chains.

Members of Whitehaven Town Council have hit out at Copeland Council, which currently owns the civic regalia worn by the mayor of Whitehaven.

Town councillors want Copeland Council to hand over the historic items, originally owned by Whitehaven Borough Council, which was abolished in 1972.

Speaking at the Whitehaven Town Council meeting on Thursday, Chris Hayes, current mayor of Whitehaven, said: "If you see the engraving on the chain, it says Whitehaven Borough Council. It doesn't say Copeland.

"They belong to Whitehaven Town Council. We shouldn't let it rest. We want them back. How do they belong to Copeland?"

Ray Gill, deputy mayor of Whitehaven, said he had fought to have the robes handed over to the town council when he was on Copeland Council.

He said: "The mayor at the time supported me but the full council turned it down.

"The facts are, in 1973 when all the government re-organisation went on, what happened was they decided not to have a Whitehaven Town Council, which was a mistake, in my view.

"All the other councils - Egremont got a market hall, Cleator Moor got a market hall - now we've got a new town council and we've got nothing.

"On the medal itself, it says given to the people of Whitehaven by the first mayor of Whitehaven, Lord Lonsdale.

"On it are all the names of the mayors of Whitehaven, not Copeland.

"This is important, historic value to this town. We should be getting it.

"If this new authority comes about, and it isn't asset transferred to us, I think we've got to start kicking up a stink."

Graham Roberts, a former mayor of Whitehaven, said: "I fully concur with what's been said. I think we should allow a little more time to elapse. If nothing is forthcoming, we should refer it to the secretary of state, Michael Gove. I think it's wrong for Copeland to behave like this."

Brian O'Kane, also a former mayor of Whitehaven said: "If we, as a group, decide we're going to ask for something like that, then that proposal has to be put before Copeland Council."

A spokesperson for Copeland Council said: “The civic and ceremonial regalia used by the Town Council are assets of Copeland Borough Council. This matter will need to be addressed in the coming year as part of the transitional arrangements."