TORY claims that one of its prospective councillors was forced to pull out of an election race by rivals have been dismissed as "unjustified".

Mike Salter had planned to represent the Conservatives in the ballot box battle for a Stourport seat in the Wyre Forest District Council's contest in May but changed his mind.

Mr Salter is a member of the district Tory association but is also a keen supporter of Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor, and his wife June is a Health Concern councillor in the same Mitton ward.

Health Concern's vice chairman Malcolm Cooper "categorically refuted" Tory claims the party pressured Mr Salter into withdrawing.

And Mr Salter said he had Health Concern's "full blessing" for his bid.

He said: "I was not leaned on by anyone. I could see the possibility of damage being done to Dr Taylor and I would not want that."

But the deputy leader of Wyre Forest Conservative Association Stephen Clee argued Health Concern "hounded" Mr Salter not to stand because it knew its candidate Pat Rimell "wouldn't have stood a chance" in the contest.

He said: "I believe Health Concern has put enormous pressure on him not to stand for the Tories.

"It's very sad that Mike has been hounded out like this by Health Concern."

Mr Clee added: "The losers in all of this are the Mitton residents. Mike's an extremely articulate local guy who knows his stuff."

However, Mr Cooper said: "It seems to me like this is a bit of creative thinking on the part of Stephen Clee."

Mr Salter insisted the decision to stand down had been his own and said he had extra commitments at the moment.

But he added there had been "jiggery pokery going on behind the scenes by all sorts of people".

He declined to elaborate. And even though he is listed as its editor Mr Salter criticised the wording of a headline in the Mitton Conservative party newsletter which boasted: "Dr Taylor's man joins local Conservatives".

But he told the Shuttle/Times & News: "The nearest thing I have ever got to editing is carrying a hammer round with me."

He declined to explain further.

Mr Clee said: "He was aware of all the content and approved it before it was printed."