THE British National Party has announced its fifth and final candidate to stand for Ribble Valley Council elections in May.

The far-right party has now lined up a candidate for each of the five wards to be contested in Clitheroe.

The latest candidate, who will stand in St Mary's ward, is 27-year-old window-fitter Paul Frankland, who was born and bred in the town.

BNP Lancashire spokesman Simon Bennett today said: "We have reached our target of fielding a candidate in each of the five Clitheroe wards and are very pleased with the support we have received in the town."

The Mayor of Clitheroe Coun Mary Robinson said she was saddened but not surprised by the announcement of a fifth BNP candidate.

"There is no room for extremists in Clitheroe, but the BNP is a legal party and there is nothing we can do to prevent it fielding candidates in our local elections," she said.

Ribble Valley Council leader Chris Holtom added: "The people of Clitheroe must ask themselves one question. Who will deliver the best local government services? If they ask themselves that question, there will only be one answer and it is not the British National Party."

The four BNP candidates already announced are Peter McQuade, a 35-year-old refuse collector, who will contest Low Moor and Henthorn; 36-year-old father-of-three Brian Ferguson, a self-employed painter and decorator, who will stand in Littlemoor; Shannon Gath, a 34-year-old self-employed caterer, who will contest Salthill, and 40-year-old machine operator Ivan Duxbury, who will stand against Coun Robinson in Primrose ward.