Cornwall councillors have sent a clear message to its ruling cabinet that no taxpayers cash should be pumped into the Stadium For Cornwall project.

At a testy meeting on Tuesday, councillors voted 55 to 46 against, with a large number of Conservative councillors voting down a proposal for capital funds to be used to help pay for the development.

A large number of councillors also abstained from the vote.

The council's cabinet will make the final decision.

Cornwall Council has repeatedly said that their position was that the proposed stadium would be built without taxpayer's cash.

In March a statement said: "The Council has not changed its position from the previous Council decision that no public funding will be used for the stadium."

The request for public money to fund the project was considered as an emergency item at a council meeting next Tuesday.

It came after Cornwall council said they received a letter from Cornwall Community Stadium Ltd stating that that despite their best efforts, the stadium project was unable to proceed as a “private sector only” led and funded initiative. Adding that it required financial support from the council, if it was to proceed.

The proposal on the table was that “the Cabinet be invited to consider whether it would be appropriate for the Council to take the lead in delivering a stadium for Cornwall”.

The meeting had to be called after the council decided that if it received a request for financial support, whether direct or indirect, including by way of guarantees or provision of infrastructure all councillors should have a say.

This was due to the “widely perceived lack of transparency surrounding this subject”.

The vote has been greeted with anger by sports fans online, with many calling the decision stupid and a loss for sport in the county.