Three Dorchester organisations have been given financial help from the town council – but one, the Lions Club, missed out because councillors say they applied too late.

The town council management committee voted £100 to the Dorchester Disabled Club; £105 to the Dorchester and District Gardening Club and £500 to the Dorchester Food Bank lunch club which provides meals to children in the holidays when their normal free lunches are not available through their schools.

But the committee turned down an application for £400 towards the cost of the annual fun run requested by the Lions.

Said Cllr Molly Rennie: “The event has been held and, unfortunately, that means our rules say we can’t consider the application…it’s a huge shame as it’s something we would normally support.”

In its application letter the Lions asked for help towards the £2,940 cost of staging the annual fun run, held over the early May Bank Holiday. The club said that it had approached local businesses for financial support but had received nothing.

The £400 had been requested to cover the cost of Charity Commission registration.