Blackpool pair will fight on at elections despite being axed by Tories

Maxine and Peter Callow today revealed they will fight for the Norbreck seats on Blackpool Council at May's local elections despite being deselected by the Blackpool North and Cleveleys Conservative Association.

Poll-topping Blackpool councillors are axed by their own party

Coun Maxine Callow said the couple would not be affiliating themselves to any group but would stand "on the basis of our past record."

They are also set to resign from the Conservative party after 40 years as members.

Coun Callow said: "It is with extremely heavy hearts that Peter and I have decided to run in Norbreck on our past records.

"The telephone has not stopped ringing with people telling us we have to run.

"We have given it a lot of thought, and it's not a decision we have taken lightly because it is not in our nature to run against the Conservatives.

"But we have not done anything wrong and we have worked hard to help the people we represent.

"It is lonely when you go on your own but we have had a lot of offers from people to help us with leafleting. We have a lot of experience and just hope people will vote for us."

Peter and Maxine have held the Norbreck seats on Blackpool Council for 20 years and 16 years respectively for the Tories.

But they failed to make it through the party's selection process for this May's election with Adam Hawkins and Roy Haskett chosen to fight Norbreck instead.

Mr Hawkins has been suspended by the Blackpool North and Cleveleys Conservative Association pending an investigation into complaints of online harrassment of Chris Webb, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency.