Dorchester's landmarks were draped with the EU flag on Wednesday, as activists celebrated the anniversary of a cornerstone of European integration.

Members of West Dorset for EU draped statues in the county town with the blue, yellow-starred flag to mark Europe Day, which commemorates the Schuman Declaration of 1950; the declaration agreed the establishment of the forerunner to the European Union.

"We are doing this in order to celebrate Europe Day," said Kay Wilcox, the group's chairman, adding that the reaction from members of the public had been very positive.

Ms Wilcox admitted to feeling cheered by current political developments, which have seen the House of Lords defeat the government on issues including continued membership of the EU Customs Union, which question will now be put to a vote in the House of Commons.

She stressed that her group wanted to see a vote on the final deal negotiated by the government. "[At the time of the Brexit referendum] no-one knew what the consequences were going to be," she noted. "We want people to have their say on the final deal, or if we should stay in the EU.

"The impact statements released by the government show that we will be much worse-off as a result of Brexit, and I don't think that's what people voted for."

As well as Wednesday's flag-flying in Dorchester, the group has also been conducting door-to-door surveys in places like Charminster and Martinstown, as part of a nationwide effort to gauge developments in feeling on the thorny issues of Brexit.

"People are much more thoughtful now on these questions," she said. "Very few people think [negotiations] are going well."

While Ms Wilcox is herself a former Labour councillor, she stressed that the group was a 'harmonious' cross-party initiative, comprising Liberal Democrats and Greens as well as Labour supporters, and even some Conservatives.