THE British National Party is lining up more candidates to fight the Ribble Valley Council elections in May.

The far-right party has announced names of four candidates it intends to field and today said a further two were on the sidelines.

Their names are expected to be announced next week, bringing the number of BNP prospective candidates in the rural borough to six.

The BNP threatened to field candidates in the Ribble Valley elections after winning the Mill Hill by-election in Blackburn last November.

BNP Lancashire spokesman Simon Bennett today said: "We are on the verge of announcing a further two candidates to stand for Clitheroe, which will reach our target of fielding a candidate in Clitheroe's six wards.

"These candidates will be fighting on a platform that puts the interests of Clitheroe people first.

"They are committed to protecting the town's rural market identity and feel their policies will offer a real alternative to its current stale political climate."

But Ribble Valley campaign groups today repeated their call for the local community to unite in keeping the BNP out of power.

Jo Harding, spokesman for local peace and justice group Ribble Action, said: "We are not going to tell people how to vote, but we do feel it is important that people use their vote in the May elections, so that no one wins by default."

Chris Gathercole, spokesman for Ribble Valley Against Racism, added: "We can do without the British National Party in the Ribble Valley.

"We are calling on religious groups, trade unions, individuals and organisations to pledge no place for the BNP in our community and stand together to ensure it gets no welcome in our area."

The BNP has announced the following candidates: Peter McQuade, a 35-year-old refuse collector, will contest Low Moor and Henthorn; 36-year-old father-of-three Brian Ferguson, a self-employed painter and decorator, who will stand in Littlemoor; Shannon Gath, a 34-year-old self-employed caterer, who will contest Salthill, and 40-year-old machine operator Ivan Duxbury, who will contest the Primrose Ward.