PICTURESQUE East Lancashire countryside is being sold out by Labour's "vandalism", it was claimed today.

George Lee, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Darwen and Rossendale, has attacked proposals by the Government to relax restrictions on billboard advertising in rural areas.

He says that under new regulations, councils will no longer be able to designate areas as subject to strict advertising controls and current powers will be limited to certain parts of the countryside.

"Labour is planning to unleash poster blight across the rural heritage of much of the West Pennines," said Mr Lee, who represents the Greenfield Ward on Rossendale Council.

"Our picturesque countryside will be sold out under this unnecessary act of economic vandalism.

"Not only is John Prescott trying to concrete over the countryside with unwanted new house building, he is allowing an advertising free-for-all,"

"We do not want the West Pennine countryside to go the same way as many European countries, which are littered with billboards in rural areas.

"It is common sense that our local councils should retain their current powers to protect the visual environment in the countryside. "Unfortunately, that is further proof that Labour's urban Mafia don't understand and don't care about our countryside.

"By contrast, Conservatives will cut back on the clutter which is plaguing our towns and countryside."

Married father-of-one George Lee, 37, was selected by his party in March this year. He is a national director of Bury-based trade association the Road Safety Markings Association.