South Somerset District Council is holding virtual meetings via Zoom video calling to allow councillors to make decisions on urgent matters including planning applications until public meetings can resume after the coronavirus lockdown.

But a meeting to discuss road improvements being made as part of plans for 800 homes in southern Yeovil almost had to be suspended early on after a number of individuals disrupted proceedings with rude words and images.

Several users dialled in with adult-themed nicknames with swear words being directed at a member of council staff.

On at least one occasion, adult content could be heard playing in the background while members of the public’s microphones were on (they were subsequently muted en masse).

And one user shared an image of two men kissing in the middle of a presentation of improvements planned for one of Yeovil’s roundabouts.

Councillor Peter Gubbins, who chairs the committee, said that if this kind of conduct continued he would exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting and “take this up with the police”.

Councillor Dave Recardo, the committee’s vice-chairman, requested that one of the council’s IT specialists be on hand at all future meetings to prevent future trolling.