A student's paintings are at the centre of a row after they were hauled down from the walls of Dartmouth's Community Cafe – because they did not fit in.

The town council had given the go ahead for talented Dartmouth Academy students to use its new-look cafe as a platform for their artwork – along with the Guildhall Clifton Room.

But last week Dartmouth Caring sent two of the youngster's works of art back to the council, saying it did not want them on the cafe's walls any more.

Dartmouth Caring chairman Dee Nut said the paintings did not fit in with the cafe which is used by older people.

But the move has angered deputy mayor Dave Cawley who is demanding the artwork goes back up.

He said: 'They are abstract. They are not offensive and well done in the genre they have been painted in.

'Dartmouth is a town full of art galleries and arty people and it is quite natural for students to express their artistic feelings and to have these paintings taken down is not really a good thing.'

But town clerk Chris Horan said the paintings would have to stay down and were being replaced with artwork which is 'more appropriate' for the festive season.

A total of five Dartmouth Academy student paintings went on display in the cafe at the beginning of October – at the same time as the youngsters' artwork also went on show at the Guildhall's Clifton Room.

The two abstract paintings, by the same student, have been taken down but the other three more traditional works are still in place.

Ms Nutt said: 'They were very modern. Basically the majority of the clients for the Over 60s and Dartmouth Caring clients are older people. People commented on them and said they did not fit in with anything else. It was not done maliciously at all.'

She said the cafe was being prepared for Christmas and added: 'They were lovely but whether they were appropriate for an environment for mainly clients that are over 60 is another thing.'

Cllr Cawley said the painting had been 'unceremoniously' delivered back to the town council.

'The two pictures and the laminated signs saying who the student was, were also returned. It is a community cafe It is owned and run by Dartmouth Town Council and no user group or hirer can change the layout or the decoration. The council decides what goes on the walls. The young lad who painted the works must be disappointed and wonder what he has done wrong.'

Mr Horan said he had held talks with Dartmouth Caring and added: 'We have agreed to look at more appropriate picture for the season.'

He said it was always intended that the pictures would be rotated and that the council was asking the academy to come up with more 'seasonal pictures'.

Dartmouth Academy principal Nick Hindmarsh said he intends to talk to both the town council and Dartmouth Caring to find out exactly why the paintings had been removed.

But he said that 'superficially' there were concerns about 'apparent censorship' and said the school had chosen artwork to go on show which would not cause offense.

'Artwork is supposed to be thought-provoking and challenging.

'We fully understand that people might not like it but that is not what it is all about,' he said.

He pointed out that the school had had a lot of 'positive feedback' from people using the community cafe – many of whom are grandparents of students at the academy.