BILL JACOBS continues his survey of the East Lancashire election constituencies with a look at Ribble Valley

NIGEL EVANS is revelling in the big change from 1997 -- people are prepared to come up to him on the street and admit publicly they are supporting him.

When he campaigned four years ago, Tory supporters would only whisper their backing and tell him to go away in case their neighbours found out.

Despite the reticence of his voters, enough of them turned out to give him a majority of more than 6,500.

And with a large and unusually young and enthusiastic campaign team, he is confident of increasing his majority -- which is still well short of what the Tories managed in David Waddington's heyday.

He is praying that his high-profile role in charge of the Conservatives campaign in Wales will not resurrect the anti-Welsh-factor which cost him his first attempt to take the Ribble Valley in 1991.

Although he got it back for the Tories in the following year's General Election, the man who beat him 12 months earlier -- Liberal Democrat Mike Carr -- is still there trying to get back to Westminster after his 13 months of political fame. And this year's contest has a distinctly familiar feel to it with College Lecturer Marcus Johnstone fighting for Labour as in 1997.

With no Referendum Party or Natural Law candidate this time, it's a straight fight between the three main parties. And it's a battle that Mr Evans seems to be relishing. The plight of the farmers and foot and mouth are top of his agenda.

Four years ago, the country community seemed fed up with the Tories but now New Labour and its handling of the epidemic appear to have driven them back into Mr Evans fold.

Despite the fact that good weather tends to benefit the sitting government, the Tory Party vice-chairman is keen for the hot spell to continue so it helps eradicate the virus which has now returned to the constituency. Other key issues on the doorstep are pensions, petrol tax and schools. In this rural constituency the cost of travel and bussing of pupils to other towns to be educated are big issues.

And then there's Europe. One of the more Eurosceptic Tory candidates, Mr Evans is relieved that his strong line on saving the pound has kept the UK Independence Party out of the fray.

And he is keen to stress that the Blair government has let people down on public services.

Mr Evans hopes that the revival of the Tory party as a fighting force since 1997 will bring out traditional older supporters while his youthful campaign team and hi-tech website will attract the younger voters. Mr Johnstone on the other hand is faced with a problem -- at the Labour's high-water mark he managed just 9,013 votes against Mr Carr's 20,062. He is stressing Labour's commitment to public services, the economy, the New Deal, low unemployment in the constituency and extra cash for both the Royal Preston Hospital and the East Lancashire Health Authority as reasons to vote for the party.

And he is raising the thorny problems of Castle Cement and the row over Clitheroe's Cinema as examples of himself as local campaigner. But there may be some scepticism about the fact that he is a district councillor in Preston where he now lives and is seeking election to Lancashire County in Burnley, where he used to reside, as well as fighting Ribble Valley. Mr Carr, on the other hand, cannot be accused of anything but dogged loyalty. After his defeat last time, he swore he was giving up and would not fight the seat again.

But he is back on the campaign trail.

The fact that the North-West Liberal Democrat Battle Bus turned up in Clitheroe stuffed with local party dignitaries, including Pendle's Lord Greaves, to massive disinterest and left within minutes was, on the one hand, a heart-warming sign of the party's traditional disorganisation, but it also indicated the difficulty Mr Carr faces.

There seems no sign of the enthusiasm and energy that swept him to the House of Commons in 1991.

Either among the electorate or from the candidate himself.

He doesn't seem quite the politician he was ten years ago.

But he does know there is still a chance, making the valid point that a Tory MP for Ribble Valley should have a much bigger majority.

It was the failure of Labour to seriously campaign in the 1991 by-election that got him into the Commons.

Mr Johnstone will fight tooth and nail to avoid such a scenario. That most likely explains his decision to fight a county council seat in the town.

A good result is vital for him to see off an expected challenge from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman Clarets fan Alastair Campbell.

So Mr Evans can look forward to a dog fight between his opponents for votes leaving the way clear to re-election and, he hopes, an bigger majority.

Meet the candidates:

NIGEL EVANS

Conservative Age: 43.

Family: Single.

Profession: Small shopkeeper.

Did you know: He spent last summer qualifying as a certified scuba diver in the Cayman Islands. MARCUS JOHNSTONE

Labour Age: 42.

Family: lives with partner Julie. One stepson Jamie aged 15.

Profession: College lecturer.

Did you know: He has the misfortune to be an Everton season ticket holder! MIKE CARR

Liberal democrat Age: 55

Family: Lives with partner Christine. Eight children, aged from seven to 20, from two previous marriages.

Profession: Teacher.

Did you know: He is a life-long Preston North End fan -- through good days and many bad ones. FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES: Mike Carr, Liberal Democrat; Nigel Evans, Conservative; Marcus Johnstone, Labour. LAST TIME: Evans N M (Conservative) 26,702; Carr M (Liberal Democrat) 20,062; Johnstone M R (Labour) 9,013; Holmes N M (Natural Law) 147; Parkinson J A 1,297. Majority: 6,640.