SPARKS flew at an explosive Question Time-style event in Bridgwater - as members of the public clashed with officials over the development of the town.

The marathon two-and-a-half hour meeting on Thursday night - based on the BBC One show of the same name - featured a panel including Bridgwater's MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, Anthony Gibson from the Bridgwater Challenge, Sedgemoor District Council officers and Simon Dunford from EDF Energy.

More than 100 people crammed into a room at the Junction 24 Regional Rural Business Centre to ask questions on a night dominated by the newly-approved Morrisons distribution centre development and, in particular, the closure of the Splash.

Steve Leahy, chairman of the Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce, who chaired the debate, did his best to keep tempers cool as wave after wave of questions on the popular pool came from the audience.

Mr Liddell-Grainger fended off an attack from Labour parliamentary candidate Kathy Pearce, who claimed he did not enough during the fight to keep the Splash open.

There were also questions from people angry that Tesco is the only group still expressing an interest in the Splash site.

Mr Leahy told the audience: “We do not want to see another supermarket here, but if they are going to be here then we have to get them on our terms.”

Accusations of a lack of 'quality jobs' on the Morrisons site in North East Bridgwater was also brought up in questions from the floor.

Doug Bamsey, from Sedgemoor District Council's planning department, said: “We have a community that is generally a low income community.

“So when we have one of the biggest single investments (Morrisons) that this town has ever seen, we have to make sure we benefit.”

The Question Time event, attended by many businesses from across the town, also singled out inward investment and a healthy chamber of commerce as a way to enhance growth.

When pressed over the transport to the potential new nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point, Simon Dunford said EDF were considering options including a park and ride system in the town and the possible creation of a new road to take the extra traffic burden.

He also added that the company were looking into constructing a temporary jetty on the seafront at Hinkley to transport raw building materials.