RESIDENTS in Lyme Regis may get the chance to view working examples of proposed new seafront lights before voting on the final design.

That was the offer from county council engineers at a public meeting this week.

It came after residents complained that they had been shown a bewildering array of options for columns, lamp tops and various lighting colours from "warm glow" orange to pure white.

The meeting, called after massive protests to the original design of lamps proposed for Marine Parade, is the first stage of promised full public consultation to find the best scheme to suit one of the finest seafront vistas in the country.

But Tuesday's meeting was warned that no design would please everyone.

Dorset's chief engineer Julian McLaughlin said the need to retain Lyme's unique charm - now even more important as a gateway town for the new world heritage coast - was vital.

"We feel Lyme Regis is so sensitive we do want to put the right scheme in," he said.

"The county council has an open mind about the detail and once the lighting is in there is flexibility about the lighting levels."

Stressing that they had no plans to increase the brightness, lighting engineer Peter Pinckston showed examples of the columns and lamps that could be used. He said single or double lamps were both feasible.

Aluminium columns would survive in the salt air for at least 40 years and could be painted. They could be made in any shape, even to mimic the Victorian cast iron poles.

He said they planned to replace the existing 14 corroded lamps with 16 new columns along the seafront, filling in some gaps and providing extra cover for the planned extended Cart Road.

Mr Pinckston said they could even be turned around 180 degrees to face the sea, doing away with the need for double lamps to illuminate the Cart Road.

West Dorset district architect Jim Roberts said the existing lights were of a neutral character. He felt they should try and match this whether with a double or single arm version.

The alternatives were "no nonsense robust modern lamps" or for a much more elaborate sculptural look.

Despite being shown several alternative columns and lamps the meeting generally felt they needed more choice.

And there was a call to establish the principle that any lamps should have "zero uplight" to reduce light pollution.

Mrs Joy Griffiths, local officer for the Campaign for Dark Skies, said such a scheme would almost certainly be given one of their good lighting awards.

And that, said Judy Simmonds, owner of the Bay Hotel, would mean a boost in tourism as over 50 astronomical clubs and groups had said they would come to Lyme following such an award.

But local dog warden Derek Hallett said while they didn't want the resort looking like Blackpool, lighting levels still needed to be adequate. An 80-year-old had recently been mugged on the parade and there was vandalism almost every weekend. Mr Pinckston assured him the lighting would be sufficient.

Ken Gollop said people did not realise the effect of extending the cart road. Many more pedestrians would use it. "So you have got to light the Cart Road as much as the promenade," he warned.

Most at the meeting favoured: * Replacing the lamps with a similar style. * Reducing upward light pollution. * Stepped aluminium, black painted columns with fittings for hanging baskets. * Warm white bulbs. * Single lamps switched 180 degrees to face the sea.

Afterwards Mr McLaughlin stressed that although the information would be used to consider how to progress the scheme detail, the meeting did not involve a true representation of the Lyme Regis public.

So it was planned to consult more widely using a simple questionnaire to be published in the Lyme Regis News.

Depending on the results the County Council could then commission a single pilot design with one unit installed in situ for the public to comment on.