DORCHESTER Mayor Alistair Chisholm has told council colleagues how twin German town Lubbecke celebrates author Thomas Hardy on its streets more than his home town.

He told a town council meeting he was astonished to see words from the famous Dorchester author inscribed on a street in the German town during a recent twinning visit – leading him to reflect how little there is in Dorchester on public display in the streets to mark the author’s connections with the town.

The Mayor said that apart from the obvious statue at the Top of Town, overlooking a roundabout, there was little else on public display in tribute to Hardy.

“You have to say that it’s a shame we don’t do better,” said the Mayor.