BURNLEY's Liberal Democrat MP Gordon Birtwistle was involved in a scuffle with a protester today during the by-election campaign in Oldham.

Mr Birtwistle was walking next to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg when a woman approached from behind with a banner protesting about tuition fee increases.

Footage from the incident in Shaw, near Oldham, then shows Mr Birtwistle seizing the paper from the woman after a brief tussle.

The woman was ushered away by Lib Dem supporters.

Speaking afterwards, the MP said: “She forced herself between me and Nick Clegg and pushed the paper into my face.

"I grabbed hold of it and pulled it down. I don’t know what happened after that, and I didn’t see what was written on the paper.

"I scrumpled it up and put it in the bin.”

The Oldham East and Saddleworth By Election takes place on January 13 to find an MP to replace Burnley-born Phil Woolas, who was struck off following complaints about his campaign leaflets.