A COUNTY councillor for Fairford and Lechlade has denied falling asleep during a meeting about widespread failures in children's services, after BBC footage appeared to show him nodding off.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou, who is the deputy leader of Gloucestershire County Council, was one of four councillors who appeared to fall asleep during an extraordinary meeting held after Ofsted highlighted "serious and widespread failures" in the running of children's services.

But Conservative Cllr Theodoulou told the BBC that, although drowsy, he was listening throughout the meeting.     

He said a range of medication and long meetings “sometimes makes me a little drowsy. It doesn’t make me sleep and I continue to listen throughout.”

Watch the BBC video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/40451898/gloucestershire-councillors-sleeping-during-meeting