A decision is due next week on an appeal by the Bristol city councillor at the heart of the "coconut" race row.

Liberal Democrat Shirley Brown was suspended for a month by the authority's standards committee at the end of the June, after calling Conservative colleague Jay Jethwa a "coconut" at a council meeting in February.

The term is seen as abusive because it implies a person is not true to their ethnic background – brown on the outside, white on the inside.

Mrs Brown appealed against the decision and written submissions were considered by the Adjudication Panel for England Tribunal Service on Thursday.

A panel spokesman said no decision had been issued, but one was expected next week.