EXCLUSIVE: A county council election candidate is being investigated for alleged electoral fraud.

It is claimed one of the ten signatures on the list of nominations for Tory David Goodyear is a forgery.

Mr Goodyear is standing as West Sussex County Council candidate for Durrington on Thursday.

Lib Dem councillor Chris Sargent said a complaint had been made to the West Sussex county secretary Mike Kendall.

Coun Sargent, who represents Durrington, claimed the list of ten nominations for Mr Goodyear included a forged signature.

He said he noticed the "error" when the notice of the polls was published, adding: "One of the ten people whose name is on the list said he did not sign it, he is adamant.

"When the notice of polls was published I looked at the people whose signatures for nomination were there and I spotted the name of the person down there.

"As we thought he was one of us, we contacted him and he said he knew nothing about it at all. As this could end up being quite serious I should not really make any other comment."

Mr Sargent said the person whose signature was allegedly forged was Arthur Giles, of Worthing, who has supported the Lib Dems for years.

Mr Giles was not available for comment at his home in Bodmin Road, Durrington.

His wife, Barbara, said he did not recall signing the form but had been advised to say nothing by lawyers.

She said: "They have told him not to comment until he has seen the signature for himself. He is not aware that he has signed a nomination form."

Mr Kendall, county secretary and returning officer for the election, said: "I have received a complaint and I have written to Mr Sargent. I have told him I will have a look at it.

"I have to be satisfied when the nomination papers are received that they appear to be in order. Once I make that decision, which I do with a number of deputies throughout the county, that decision is final.

"If there is any question of an argument about nomination papers, it would have to be raised after the election on June 7. But there is nothing that can be done before the election."

He said election procedures meant the candidates' nominations had to be received by a set date.

He added: "They have to be supported by a relevant number of signatures. They have to be returned to the returning officer. We are not obliged to carry out checks into every signature."

Councillor Goodyear said: "You will have to speak to Conservative headquarters. I took my form to them and it has all been checked by the town hall. I do not know anything about this."

Mary Lermitte, election agent for the Conservative group, said: "This is a witch hunt against David Goodyear and it is deeply unpleasant. I think it shows how illiberal the liberals are.

"They are witch hunting this poor man. David has spoken to me about this and he said the man who signed is a customer of his. We check the nomination papers very carefully here.

"You do not know if someone's signature is someone's signature or not. But we put in a second nomination paper in case there is a problem, to be doubly careful. For example if someone dies.

"I think this is extremely unpleasant and is complete rubbish. The Lib Dems should start campaigning on some issues."

Recently we reported how Mr Goodyear was convicted in 1994 of conspiracy to supply cocaine while working as a pharmacist.

He served 15 months of a two-and-a-half year sentence at Verne Prison in Portland, Dorset.