A ROW over cows is brewing for a newly approved political party.

A Westhoughton councillor has complained to the Electoral Commission after a fledgling party submitted cow and five-barred gate designs as the party image, which prompted concerns it could restrict others from using the image.

The Westhoughton First Independents launched an application to become a registered political part on February 26.

The party, along with the proposed emblems, was approved by the Electoral Commission on March 20.

The group submitted three variations of the symbol. 

Similar iterations including the cow’s head are already used on the badge of Westhoughton High School and by the town’s cricket club.

Cllr David Wilkinson says the cow and five-barred gate symbol is a Westhoughton image and should not be for the use of just one group. 

Cllr Wilkinson said: “It’s not a political party symbol, simple as that. 

“Using what is a town symbol and the possibility it may restrict other organisations in Westhoughton who use it is wrong.

"It’s an historical symbol, it’s the town’s, it’s everyone’s.”

The creator and leader of Westhoughton First Independents, Westhoughton town councillor Jack Speight, has been approached for comment.

The nominating officer for the party is Anita Jackson-Baratinsky and the treasurer, Anthea Ingle.

The image supposedly comes from a gruesome village myth, in which a cow got its head stuck in a gate and, rather than cut the gate, the farmer cut the cow’s head off as it cost less than the gate.