Questions over who Helston mayor John Boase’s “influential” supporters are has prompted him to deny they are Masons.

The row comes after he announced he would finish his term of office as mayor and not stand down, following a vote of no confidence in his leadership last November.

During his confirmation to Helston town councillors, Mr Boase said he had been spoken to by some “very influential people” who had told him not to go.

Some readers of the Packet website, thepacket.co.uk, have now called for “transparency,” with reader Zella writing: “I think if one truly believes in a person, cause or particular issue, then they should be open and honest enough to go public.”

Mr Boase, pictured, told the Packet he did not know whether his supporters wished to be named.

He said: “They are business people within the town and they are not masonic. There’s nothing to do with anything masonic whatsoever.”

Mr Boase said that he was a Freemason himself, adding: “Maybe one time you could join them to get benefits towards yourself, but that’s nothing to do with what we’re there for at the moment. Mainly we raise money for charity and it’s done anonymously. That’s the main reason I did it, because I liked what they did.”

He called for any anonymous commenters to speak to him in person and said: “If these people were willing to come and speak to me face to face I would answer them.”