TOWN councillors in Dorchester have voted to send best wishes, on behalf of the town, to the King after his cancer diagnosis,

Cllr Robin Potter proposed the move at the start of Monday evening's planning and environment meeting.

Several members of the public, attending to hear developments on the Dorchester North plans for 3,500 homes, were surprised to hear the news, which had only been announced an hour earlier.

Many of the town councillors at the meeting have met the King, then the Prince of Wales, on his frequent visits to the county town to see progress on the Duchy of Cornwall development at Poundbury.

He also visited Poundbury last year, shortly after his Coronation.