SIX days and counting. Have you made your mind up yet?

If not, the three candidates in Bury South are sure to be pulling out all the stops to persuade voters of their respective merits before next Thursday's (June 7) General Election.

And who said politics was all about old men in grey suits? All three local candidates are under the age of 35!

Labour's Ivan Lewis (34) is hoping to hold on to the seat he won in 1997 from former Tory MP David Sumberg. He was born and bred in Prestwich and has lived all his life in the town. He is married to Juliette and has two sons, and lives in Glebelands Road, Prestwich.

He will be challenged by Conservative candidate Nicola Le Page (27). The area sales manager was born in Belfast, but now lives in Welwyn in Hertfordshire where she and her husband Russell are both Conservative councillors.

A third option is Liberal Democrat hopeful Tim Pickstone (32), who has been a Lib Dem councillor in Prestwich since last June. A finance manager for a Manchester-based charity, he lives in Heaton Street, Prestwich.

Meanwhile, Tory election hopeful Nicola Le Page has been on the campaign trail locally and spelling out her party's priorities. She has hit back at accusations from her Labour opponent Ivan Lewis that Tory spending plans would mean £30 million of cuts in Bury South.

Mrs Le Page says that the Conservative Party's policy is "clear and unambiguous" and that the figure of £20 billion of national cuts had been "plucked from the air".

"We have identified £8 billion of public spending that we believe is being wasted," she said.

"We have guaranteed that we will match all of Labour's spending plans on health, education and police. A Conservative government will not make any cuts at all in these areas.

"Which local schools face closure? None. How many teachers in Bury South face the sack? None. How many local doctors and nurses in this area have to be axed? None. And how many local police officers will be cut? None."

Mrs Le Page said she would be very concerned if voters were making decisions based on misconceptions about the party's spending plans.

"The only doctors that will lose their jobs under Conservatives are the spin doctors!" she says.

She was helped with her door-to-door campaign this week by Sir Robert Atkins, Tory MEP for the North West.

AN unrepentant Mr Lewis said the £20 billion figure was quoted by Oliver Letwin, the Tories' Treasury spokesman.

"To claim that government spending can be reduced by such a massive figure without cutting vital public services is nonsense," he said. "You can't have your cake and eat it."

Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn lent her support to Labour at a special "Vera's Tea Party" in Radcliffe.

The star, who plays soap favourite Vera Duckworth, took to the stage in front of an audience of 100 to deliver her own election message.

She said: "This government have so much to do. They have done a fantastic job so far but they need more time."

Ms Dawn had flown up on Sunday (May 27) after attending the annual "soap awards" in London where she won an award.

She was aptly dressed in an all-red outfit, and received a bunch of flowers from Bury South Labour candidate Ivan Lewis.

Mr Lewis told the audience at Radcliffe Civic Suite: "Labour has the heart which it always had and now the head to go with it. We have produced a strong economy without losing sight of our core values."

Much of his speech centred around the minimum wage. He said: "People may have thought that Labour, with a Common's majority, would have found it easy to push through the minimum wage but there were many late and sleepless nights.

"The Tories did not want it to ever be introduced. That's the difference between the parties."

The event was hosted by former Granada Tonight presenter Bob Greaves, who was presented with a House of Commons bottle of whisky signed by Tony Blair.

Cabinet office minister Ian McCartney was another special guest, and made a speech about education and industry.

RADCLIFFE South voters will have to make their mark on two slips of paper next Thursday.

As well as the General Election, there's also a by-election in the ward following the retirement of councillor Tony Watmough.

Defending the seat for Labour is Anthony Cummings of Marsden Walk, Radcliffe.

He will be challenged by Tory choice Peter Wright of Ringley Road West, Whitefield, and by Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Halsall of Dumers Close, Radcliffe.