A COUNCILLOR has been found guilty of breaking the council's code of conduct after he swore at a competition winner.

Chingford Conservative Cllr Laurance Wedderburn admitted telling Walthamstow photographer Katherine Green to "f*** off" at an event to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch at Waltham Forest Town Hall back in July.

He later apologised and said he had been drinking alcohol earlier in the day.

But Cllr Wedderburn argued he attended the event as a member of the public after receiving a ticket through a ballot and was not there as a councillor.

However a 'determination panel' of councillors was not convinced and ruled he was acting as a representative of the council at the time. 

The council will now write to Cllr Wedderburn informing him of his punishment, although it is yet to be publicly revealed or disclosed to Ms Green.

She told the Guardian: "I was at all times polite to Cllr Wedderburn and simply trying to make small talk when I was left in a socially awkward situation.

"I have absolutely no idea why he took such quick and aggressive offence at the time - that was really shocking to me and upset me."

Ms Green attended the event after winning a ticket in a competition held by Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy.

Cllr Wedderburn has not responded to the Guardian's request for a comment.

He did not attend the hearing.