A "BAFFLING" questionnaire and map containing no place names has been sent to Blandford residents in what some say can only be an effort to confuse.

Locals are being asked to comment on proposals to expand Blandford's boundaries to take in Blandford Camp, the Sunrise Business Park, Blandford St Mary inside and south of the bypass and Letton.

A letter from North Dorset District Council has been sent to residents advising them that the Market Research Group of Bournemouth University have been commissioned to gauge their views.

But some have had to cross-refer to an Ordnance Survey map to make any sense of the map enclosed and say certain questions within the questionnaire make no sense.

Kate Graeme-Cook, 42, a housewife from Blandford, said: "The map has no village names, no road names and has no scale. They obviously expect people to work it out for themselves. It's baffling."

Question one of the questionnaire reads: "Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to expand the current Blandford?" then offers a "yes, no or don't know" response.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth University conceded the questions should have been clearer but added: "From the responses we are getting back it would seem people are using their common sense."

Zoe Nolan, a spokeswoman for North Dorset District Council said it had received a number of calls from people concerned about the questionnaire wording but that the university was confident about the validity of the results.

She said a small-scale map had been distributed for "reprographic ease" and a larger scale plan will be provided to anyone who requests one.

First published: April 6