THE latest candidate to join in the battle to replace Redcar MP Mo Mowlam has thrown his hat into the ring.

Dave Anderson, 46, a Unison activist, hopes to be chosen as the Labour candidate. Mr Anderson lives in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, and worked as a coal miner for 20 years, before moving into local government in the late 1980s.

He said: "My community is similar to Redcar, in that it has been devastated by years of attacks by the last Tory Government. We need major investment into the area to redress the balance."

Others to have so far expressed an interest in the race are Redcar and Cleveland councillor Maureen Hall, former district councillor Sheila Argument, GMB union worker Julie Eliott, university lecturer Gay Johnston, Stockton councillor Geoff Field, and Darren Murphy, senior advisor to Health Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn.

The successful Labour candidate is expected to be announced on December 16.