A POLICE investigation into how 27 voters were registered at the family home of a would-be MP has cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Detectives in Pendle were called in following a complaint from the borough's Labour Party offices regarding the number of registered voters at the home of Mohammed Afzal Anwar at 214-216 Manchester Road, Nelson.

But Mr Anwar, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Pendle insisted that there was no impropriety - and that the bona fide voters were all members of his extended family.

While the voters are registered to 214-216 on the electoral roll, the registration also covered the neighbouring 212 Manchester Road, he said.

Detective Sergeant Dave Groombridge, of Pendle CID, said: "Responding to a complaint of possible election irregularities emanating from houses on Manchester Road at Nelson, police have attended and spoken to the owner and occupants.

"The investigating officer has established that the residents of the three properties are members of an extended family.

"The dwellings are spacious and clearly offer sufficient sleeping and living facilities for the occupants registered to vote in the forthcoming local elections.

"This information has been shared with officers at Pendle Borough Council and both agencies are content that no further investigation into election matters involving these addresses is required at this time."

The issue has also been raised in Parliament by Mr Anwar's political rival, Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice. He has questioned when planning approval was given to convert the three properties into one extended dwelling.