HELPING asylum seekers, homeless people and the elderly will be Ron Darby's top priorities if he becomes Mayor of Middlesbrough on May 2.

The 54-year-old Tory candidate says he hopes to convince voters that the Conservative Party really is the party that cares.

"I'm a Rotarian and our motto is 'service before self'," he said. "I think that could apply to the mayor of Middlesbrough. The Conservatives are not always seen as being caring, but Iain Duncan-Smith said recently that that needed to change and I think he's right."

Mr Darby, general manager of the Blue Bell Hotel in Acklam, does not promise to make massive changes if elected.

"The first year would be a learning curve for me. That's why at this stage I won't make rash promises which I don't know if I'll be able to keep."

He believes that asylum seekers in the town are getting a raw deal and need better support from the council.

"I think there are over 1,000 in Middlesbrough and they are having problems. I'd like to see a drop-in centre for them and certainly more facilities and maybe an appointed person working to make sure their needs are being met."

Equally, he feels the problems of homeless and elderly people are often ignored.

"I want to do more for these people and I would be happy to work with a Labour council to do this, despite being the Conservative candidate," he said.

Although the separated father-of-three is from County Durham, he claims to be Middlesbrough's biggest supporter. If elected he would be the town's first Tory mayor since 1961.

"I love the town and I come with no political baggage," he said.

"My intentions are sincere when I say I want to be an ambassador for the people of Middlesbrough and I want to be on the shop front talking to people and asking what they want."

Nominations for candidates in the election closed yesterday at noon.

Other contenders are former Middlesbrough CID chief Ray Mallon, Labour Councillor Sylvia Connolly, charity worker Rod Jones, and Jeffrey Fowler, of the Socialist Alliance.