A ROSSENDALE VALLEY MP believes that he is being targeted by "vindictive" right-wing extremists.

David Chaytor, whose Bury North constituency includes parts of Rossendale, said that rather than being random accidents, windows repeatedly broken at his constituency office in Carr Street, Ramsbottom, were the actions of political extremists.

And he revealed that he had received hate mail over the past 12 months from the "extreme right wing".

The Labour MP said he had no idea why he was being targeted. He said: "Over the past 18 months we have had three windows smashed, the second was a month ago and the last was at the weekend.

"These have all been reported to the police, but there have also been several attempts, when the windows have been cracked, which we didn't bother reporting.

"I do not think that these are accidents, or the result of youths messing around.

"I know that windows do get broken in businesses in the town centre, but I genuinely do not think that this is typical anti-social behaviour"

He said: "I think it represents a pattern and is deliberately done, and politically motivated.

"I also know that there is a group of mindless thugs in Ramsbottom associated with a right-wing party.

"My office has been leafleted recently by the party, and I have received other kinds of extreme right-wing hate mail.

"That is why I think it is possible and likely that the attacks on my constituency office are deliberate acts of vindictiveness by people with extreme political views.

Mr Chaytor said he would be meeting with police to discuss the issue further.