TORY candidate David Heginbotham is crying blue murder after his election posters vanished twice only hours after they went up.

Shopkeeper Mr Heginbotham is fighting to get elected in the Worsthorne and Cliviger Ward of Burnley Council in by-elections to be held on July 2. This week he put up about 40 blue posters with the simple message Vote Conservative but within hours most had been removed.

Mr Heginbotham, who has served on the council before, said: "I replace those that were missing but by this morning they had gone again.

"I don't know who has done it but I am upset and angry. In some cases the timber supports have gone as well and that is theft. They were on private land with permission and no one has the right to take them. It is an attack on democracy.'' A Town Hall official said they had received a complaint about the posters. But an investigation revealed they were on private land and were quite legally displayed.

Tory agent, Ann Haddock, commented: "I think it all rather silly. We are not in the habit of fly posting, we do things properly.''

At the recent council elections, Coun Philip Walsh retained his seat against Mr Heginbotham's challenge.

Coun Walsh said: "He rang me this morning suggesting I was responsible.

"I have no qualms in saying I took down posters during the general election because they were nailed to trees on the public highway. In this case it was not me and I have no idea who is taking them down.''

Two candidates will fight it out when the by-election is held. The poll results from the resignation of Labour representative, Roger Craig, who has moved to a new job in Scotland.

Fighting for the seat is Conservative, David Heginbotham, who lost by just 51 votes to Labour rival, Philip Wash at last month's municipal elections. The new Independent Group in Burnley was to have been represented by Marie Winder but she had pulled out for family reasons.

Labour are represented by Maureen Martin, unsuccessful in Whittlefield in May, fights under the Labour banner.

Labour came under fire from political opponents for failing to declare the election in time for May's polls saying the delay cost council taxpayers around £2,000 in extra election costs.

Labour denied the charge stating they were not informed of Coun Craig's decision to quit until it was too late.

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