THE MEDITERRANEAN party island of Ibiza is popular with the 18-30 brigade and boasts dozens of clubs where clubbers can dance and drink round the clock.

According to the recent TV documentary, Ibiza Unplugged, it's sun, sea, sand, sex, booze, drugs and rock 'n' roll from dawn 'til dusk.

Trowbridge is better known for the less glamorous world of sausages and shorthand. But not according to Mr Osborn, a Trowbridge town and district councillor, who believes Trowbridge is fast becoming the club Mecca of the south west.

He admitted this week: "I haven't been to Ibiza but a colleague has, and he said Trowbridge was becoming very like it with the nightlife.

"If you go out at night now, like I did with the police, you will see women urinating in the street in Trowbridge town centre.

"What I was saying is that Trowbridge is in danger of becoming like the Mediterranean club towns where anything goes. That is what I was flagging up."

Juice's bid to be allowed to stay open an extra hour until 3am six nights a week was turned down following claims it would make the town's late night problems even worse.

Cllr Osborn said: "I have nothing against the clubs, and from what we see they are well-run and there are no problems inside.

"The problems are outside and happen when people spill out of the clubs.

"A lot of the problems are from the kids who aren't old enough to be allowed into the clubs, but sit drinking in the park and then come out when the clubs close to be where the action is."

But clubbers said the Ibiza claim was way off the mark. Clubgoer Dan Grabham, who goes to the town's Pig Club, said: "Comparing Trowbridge with Ibiza is absurd.

"If anyone from West Wiltshire District Council is basing their judgment on the grotesque TV documentaries of 18-30 holidays on Ibiza, perhaps they need a night out in Trowbridge to reassure themselves that it really isn't quite that bad after all.

"I would be very interested to hear on what evidence Cllr Osborn compares the county town of Wiltshire with a distant haven of debauchery and freedom from parental control."

Juice manager Andy Cochrane is backing attempts to stop any more clubs coming to Trowbridge.

He said: "What the council said when they compared Trowbridge to Chippenham is right. The two towns are about the same size but Trowbridge has 11 late night venues that can stay open until 2am, but Chippenham only has two."