Councillors left between a rock and a hard place over mismatching coloured granite bollards in Helston hope to find a solution after being told they should "be ashamed."

The problem has arisen in two of the new bollards placed in front of the Grylls Monument at the bottom of Coinagehall Street, as part of a revamp of the area.

While most are a plain grey granite, the two in question are half a browner granite. The difference is particularly highlighted by the bollards being placed "side on," so that there is a clear 50-50 vertical split between the two colours when viewing the monument head on.

It was pointed out in a letter to the council by Neil Williams, who described the granite as "ugly, second grade" stone and suggested the council had been "fobbed off."

Mayor Gillian Geer urged people to put the matter behind them, saying: "This little debacle, I personally think is not necessary. That's not a fault, that's how granite works."

However, other councillors had a different view, with councillor John Boase saying: "It doesn't even look natural; it's a symmetrical line. It's like someone has painted half the line.

"That monument has been there for how many years, put there by people of this town to recognise Sir Grylls. We have now 'improved' it - but have we in some ways?"

Mike Thomas agreed: "The appearance of the beautiful granite we see in the monument is not reflected in those bollards unfortunately."

While acknowledging it as a "first world issue", he added: "Having spoken to someone in the trade, he feels we ought to go back to the installers and see if they could at least turn it around or something, to make it look more attractive."

Councillor Ronnie Williams, whose ancestors were monumental masons in the town, said people had told him he "ought to be absolutely ashamed" to be representing the council and his family, adding: "I've had some very hurtful comments made to me on this subject."

Town regeneration officer Martin Searle said the samples had been approved by the contract administrator and the town's public realm board, which oversaw the project.

He added: "Opinions vary about the bollards themselves. It is quite common for pavements and boundary walls to be the browner colour granite than that used in buildings. But I'll be guided by whatever you wish to do."

Mr Williams suggested it was "more than likely" that the samples were approved but "what turned up, I imagine, was not of the sample quality," adding: "It was not the fault of whoever looked at it."

And Mr Searle acknowledged: "Until they're in place you don't know what the stone is going to look like. They were designed to match the paving in front of the monument."

It was agreed that town clerk Chris Dawson should investigate whether there was "remedial action" that could be taken to resolve the issue.