PRESTON is being targeted by a bogus councillor, according to Town Hall representatives.

The bizarre accusation comes from Riversway's three Labour councillors, who have been contacted by confused locals after receiving literature from unsuccessful Liberal Democrat candidate Alan Valentine, who describes himself as a 'Riversway Representative'.

They have also been handed a copy of a letter sent by Mr Valentine to a Lib Dem activist, ordering him to resign from the party. The badly written letter was printed on Lancashire County Council stationary - even though 24-year-old Mr Valentine has never been a councillor, and has failed to gain a seat on the council in three elections in the Riversway ward.

Legitimate Riversway councillor Marcus Johnstone now wants the Lib Dems to reprimand Mr Valentine to ensure he doesn't mislead people in the future.

Coun Johnstone said: "We have had bogus social workers and bogus doctors, and now it would appear we have a bogus councillor, using stationary which he should not have access to."

In the offending letter Mr Valentine tells unsuccessful Lib Dem candidate for Tulketh, James MacGregor, to resign from the party following complaints about his conduct.

But, at the time of the Citizen going to press, Mr Valentine was unavailable for comment.

Coun Bill Chadwick, Preston's Lib Dem leader and a county councillor, said it was 'regrettable that Mr Valentine has used the wrong stationary', which had Coun Chadwick's number at the top.

But he said: "Alan is our Riversway representative and I am sure no-one can mistake him for a councillor seeing he has lost three times.

"He is committed to the area and is preparing to stand for a fourth time. It is regrettable that an internal party matter is being blown up like this. The Labour members should grow up."

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