PEOPLE in Horwich’s Claypool ward will have a total of three votes tomorrow, when a town council by-election is held alongside the local and European elections.

The ward election was triggered when Horwich town council’s sole Conservative councillor, Christine Flanagan, resigned in April. It is the fourth town council election in just a year.

Unlike recent by-elections in Horwich, the Claypool Ward ballot sheet will not feature candidates for the Conservatives or the Green Party — with Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP candidates battling it out for the seat.

Standing for the LibDems will be Doug Bagnall, who lost out by a single vote to Labour in a vote for Church Ward in September.

Mr Bagnall, who is also aiming to clinch the Farnworth seat on Bolton Council tomorrow, said: “I came within a single vote last time, so you never know what might happen. I am doing as much as I can do, but some people find it hard to ignore the national picture.

“A lot of people have said if you get rid of Nick Clegg then I’ll vote for you, but Mr Clegg has probably never heard of Claypool. This is about local issues and Horwich has a lot to offer.”

UKIP’s Peter McGeehan was also involved in the September by-election, coming in third behind Mr Bagnall.

The former mayor of Horwich has represented both Labour and the LibDems before switching to UKIP.

He said: “I feel with UKIP that all their policies fall much in line with my beliefs and that hasn’t been the case with other parties I’ve been involved with in the past.

“This will be a close call and I really have no idea what might happen, but I do think people are fed up with the political class and want to see some new faces.”

Labour candidate Glen Atkinson was previously involved with the LibDems, but left after the party reneged on its pledge not to raise tuition fees after entering into the Coalition with the Conservatives.

He said: “I felt my views were more in line with Labour, so I was pleased to make the switch. I was formerly a youth worker and have been involved with community projects. That is something I would want to continue.

“I have also had a lot of involvement with the local Claypool and Brazley residents associations. I am very locally orientated and a great believer in supporting local business.”

Polling stations will be at Horwich Moor Methodist Church, in Bottom o’th’ Moor, and at Claypool Primary School, both of which will be open from 7am until 10pm tomorrow.

You can see a full list of all Bolton's election candidates here, which will be updated with live results on Thursday night.