A BURNLEY BNP candidate was suspended from work for abusive comments towards another member of staff before she contested the local elections.

Joan Dewhurst, 35, a machine operator at Armabord, based on the Heasandford industrial estate, Widow Hill Road, Burnley, was suspended for three days after her employers called her to a disciplinary meeting on April 29.

She is now back at work after she received her first written warning that read: "Your conduct was not up to the standard required by the company.

The misconduct identified and brought to your attention was the written use of foul and abusive language towards another employee."

Bosses at Armabord told her that the warning will remain "live" for six months and that she has the right to appeal through the company's appeal procedure.

They also warned her that any repetition of this kind of behaviour or other misconduct would result in further action under the company's disciplinary procedure.

Ms Dewhurst, who stood for election in the Bank Hall ward in yesterday's "all-out" council elelctions, refused to comment about the incident but asked the leader of Burnley's British National Party Simon Bennett to issue a statement on her behalf.

He said: "Joan is very upset by the whole incident. What she did at work had nothing at all to do with the fact that she is a BNP candidate.

"Racism had nothing to do with the reason why Joan was suspended. If it was, Joan would have been dealt with more harshly by the company that she works for."

Gary Jones, regional secretary of the GMB union Lancashire region, said an investigation was underway and appropriate action would be taken.

He said: "Armabord have a code of conduct in place and it has been agreed by Armabord and the GMB for an urgent review of the code to combat racism in the workplace, as incidents of this nature will not be tolerated."