A GREEN candidate was left feeling red-faced after it emerged he is standing for election in Pendle and Sheffield on the same day.

Peter Hartley, who is known as Pete the Poet, has given two different addresses to town hall staff in the two local authorities.

Mr Hartley is standing in Vivary Bridge ward, Colne, on May 6 after informing election staff on his nomination paper that he was eligible as a candidate because he had occupied a house in Birtwistle Avenue, Colne, as an owner or tenant over the previous 12 months.

But his mother Edith, who lives at the address, revealed her son actually lives in Sheffield although she said he visited her regularly.

"He was brought up in Colne and went to Sheffield University and has stayed there ever since," she said.

Mr Hartley is also standing as an independent Green in Sheffield's Park ward on the same day, again after saying on his nomination form that he has been an owner or tenant in the ward for the last 12 months. Today election staff at Sheffield Town Hall confirmed he was a candidate and had put his address as Chesterfield Road, Sheffield. His name appears on the electoral roll at that address but not at the address in Colne.

Pendle Liberal Tony Greaves, electoral agent for 13 of the 17 Liberal Democrat candidates in Pendle, said: "He is obviously not a serious candidate in both places, or perhaps in either."

It is an offence to knowingly put wrong information on election nomination forms.

Philip Mousdale, Pendle Council's solicitor, said: "We can't see anything that stops someone standing in two elections although you can't stand in two wards in the same authority."

Mr Hartley, an unemployed teacher, stood in a by-election in Park ward in January but only pooled a handful of votes compared to the winning Liberal Democrat candidate's 838.

Mr Hartley was not available for comment.

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