EX-council leader Angie Barker has settled her litigation claim against the authority she once headed-up.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mrs Barker, 43, broke her leg during a dance floor tumble at Trowbridge's Civic Hall in 1999.

The Melksham Town and Wiltshire County councillor launched a litigation claim against the then owners, West Wiltshire District Council.

It is believed a third party's insurers stumped up the compensation cash, preventing the case from reaching court, but the council spokesman and Mrs Barker were both staying tight-lipped this week.

Louise Knox, speaking for the district council, said: "A claim made against the council's insurers, relating to an incident in 1999, has now been settled out of court at no cost to the authority.

"The council's policy is not to give specific detail of such cases."

The council spokesman went on to explain how a third party's insurers had stumped up the cash in settlement.

Cllr Barker was contacted by the Wiltshire Times on Wednesday but refused to comment about the settlement.

It was while dancing with former Avon Rubber boss John Baumber at a Chamber of Commerce dinner-dance that Cllr Barker slipped over and broke her leg.

At the time Mr Baum-ber joked: "We were rather enthusiastic. I walked on to the dance floor with her and carried her off."

Cllr Barker, then leader of the district council, continued with her civic duties on crutches and the same week attended the opening of the £20m Avon Rubber plant in Hampton Park West, Semington.

The break was fraught with complications and the councillor endured several painful operations to rectify the damage.