TWO candidates contesting the forthcoming Ramsbottom by-election have unveiled their main campaign issues.

David Barker will represent the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

The 64-year-old is a retired firefighter who has lived in Bury for 18 years, and is married with four children and six great- grandchildren.

He said: “I agreed to stand for the party, of which I've been a member for about five years, because I want to give local people a real voice on the council.

“Unlike the other main parties UKIP does not operate a whip system so I would be free to vote on issues the way that my constituents want.”

David Foss is the Liberal Democrat candidate.

Mr Foss is a retired teacher, whose career included 11 years’ service at Woodhey High School.

He is a former magistrate and a lay preacher for the Bury and Heywood Methodist Circuit of churches.

Mr Foss said: “As well as campaigning for our fair share of council money, I am also campaigning for the council to invest properly in basic services, such as roads, pavements and cleansing, as are other Lib Dems in the borough.

“From April 1 — and thanks to the Lib Dems in Government — people in Ramsbottom will no longer be paying income tax on the first £10,000 of earnings and £2.5 billion extra has been ploughed into schools to help give children the best start in life.”

The by-election is on March 6.