WORDSMITH David Rockliffe is hoping that his success with slogans could make him a real winner.

For David, from Queen Street, Whalley, has successfully penned the election slogan for film director and restaurant critic Michael Winner, when he stands for the post of Mayor of London in June.

Mr Winner has vowed to stand because he has become frustrated with the sequencing of traffic lights close to his London home.

The set of lights, situated at the junction where the Mall meets Trafalgar Square, are said to be responsible for some of the most notorious tailbacks in the city.

Mr Winner, who has long used The Mall as a route into the West End from his home in Holland Park, has pledged to stand for Mayor on the single issue of getting them changed.

He said: "At this set of lights there is a queue every day where there never used to be one.

"All over London, roads are being paved over or narrowed or turned into bus lanes. Ken Livingstone has it in for motorists." He added: "I am quite serious about standing as Mayor -- I can afford to lose my deposit." David, who returned to East Lancashire last year with wife Trish, 57, after living in Zimbabwe for the past 30 years, came up with the line 'It's beyond our Ken -- so keep Michael a Winner' after seeing a newspaper competition.

And his catchy line caught the eye of the maybe-Mayor.

David, 57, said: "I noticed a newspaper article about two weeks ago which had a couple of suggestions for slogans for Michael Winner's campaign.

"I just thought of one off the top of my head and, because I was sitting next to my computer at the time, I just fired it off.

"I received an e-mail back last Sunday telling me that Michael Winner had chosen my slogan.

"But, to be honest, I was more interested in getting my hands on the bottle of champagne, which was the prize for coming up with the winning slogan."

Dad-of-three David, whose son Matthew, 22 and daughter Sarah, 24, both live in the London area.

He added: "I have asked my daughter to keep her eye out closer to the time to see if there is any literature going around with my slogan on it.

"I would be interested to see how they use it."