LABOUR'S new man for Leigh is Government aide 31 year-old Andy Burnham.

He was selected on Tuesday night as Labour's candidate for the next General Election as successor to retiring MP Lawrence Cunliffe, who has represented Leigh since 1979, after a protracted and often bitter selection process.

The former Lancashire Schoolboy cricketer, who bowled for Atherton Cricket Club in the Bolton Association, was chosen as Labour candidate at the next election by Leigh Labour Party in a one-member, one-vote secret ballot at a packed Hindley Green Labour Club.

And the first thing Andy did after being congratulated on his success by fellow candidates and local party members was to borrow the Journal reporter's phone to ring his mum and dad Eileen and Roy at the family home in Common Lane, Culcheth to break the news.

Then the special adviser to Chris Smith, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport declared: "The work starts now!"

The ex-Golborne, Lowton Culcheth Villa FC soccer player polled 128 votes to take the nomination ahead of London-based trade union researcher Ian Wingfield with 47 votes and Trafford councillor Barbara Keeley-Huggett, third, with 37.

Andy fought his campaign under the slogan 'local, with national clout'.

He paid tribute to Mr Cunliffe, whom he said had been a loyal servant to Leigh, adding: "It's been a long, hard road but I feel fantastic now. I'm not yet the MP, I'm the candidate, but I will work with all my heart and soul for the people of Leigh if I win the election."

He organised General Election campaigns in the North West in 1997 as a member of Labour's key seats team and as a researcher to the shadow health team he developed campaigns targeting the Tory health record. Before that he was political assistant to MP Tessa Jowell.

At present he covers policy and political advice on all areas, but particularly sport.

He was instrumental in securing the Sky TV deal and getting Premier League money for grass roots football -- a massive £7m pledge which Andy's team is hoping to double with lottery money. Andy, an Everton FC supporter and Leigh RL fan, and his Dutch-born wife Frankie have a young son.

He said: "I want to pay special tribute to my mum and dad who introduced me to the Labour Party -- and to Mick Martyn -- who have backed me all the way.

"I'll fight hard for Leigh because it is where I come from and because I want to make sure people in this area get the full benefits from a second term of Labour."

Congratulating Andy, Leigh CLP chairman Lord Peter Smith said: "It was a fair contest on the night although there has been a deliberate attempt to undermine the selection process. In the end we had a hard and fairly fought contest."