DROITWICH community leaders are hoping to use the Lido to beat Conservative councillors at the forthcoming elections.

Droitwich Spa Labour Party has selected its three candidates for the county council's seats in the town at the elections coinciding with the General Election.

This year's polls will see the ward contested on new boundaries and candidates are preparing for a fierce fight after Tory-led Wychavon District Council decided to demolish the Lido.

Candidate Coun Peter Pinfield, standing for the West Ward, said: "Labour is making the Tory stance on the Lido a key factor in the election."

"And all three Conservatives contesting the seats can expect a hard a personal attack on the policies their party has pursued, which has left the town feeling very badly let down and ignored by Wychavon."

Standing for the East seat will be community activist Edgar Harwood and taking on the Bowbrook Ward, which now includes all of the Ridings development, will be serving Wychavon councillor Roy Seabourne.

Meanwhile Droitwich Tory MP Peter Luff has defended his stance over the Lido issue attacking the distribution of an anonymous leaflet in the town, which he says misrepresents his views.

"The future of the Lido is strictly for the town and district council, working with the people of Droitwich, to resolve," he said.

"MPs and would-be MPs should not interfere in local government and pretend they have powers and influence they simply do not have."

Mr Luff said he met with SALT - Save a Lido Today - recently "took the only steps an MP could take" by writing to the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and to the Chief Executive of English Heritage to establish what view they take of the possibility of listing the main Lido building.