A MAN who falsely claimed to be the son of former MP Terry Rooney has taken back his claims and apologised.

In an extraordinary statement, the man who calls himself David Rooney, said he had made "a very big mistake".

UKIP had touted the man as a defector from Labour, the party for which Terry Rooney held a seat in the city for 20 years.

Yesterday, the imposter said: "I've made a very big mistake in coming forward with my story and I take everything that I have said back in the interview last week as untrue.

"I'm sorry for anything I have said that is untrue."

He was uncovered when Terry Rooney called his story a "complete fabrication".

Mr Rooney's real son is, in fact, called Peter and lives in Cumbria.

The former MP said: "It is nice that he has confessed but he could have saved all his heartache and everything else by never saying lies in the first place.

"I'm glad he has confessed but it doesn't negate what he did in the first place.

"I honestly don't know how he thought he could ever get away with it."

But after issuing his retraction and apology, the man, still calling himself David Rooney, then appeared to directly contradict himself in a series of further messages to the Telegraph & Argus, before claiming he still had the backing of UKIP HQ and its leader Nigel Farage.

UKIP's Bradford chairman, Jason Smith, had originally unveiled his 'defector' last week, saying the man was being lined up to run in the local elections in 2018 and the general election in 2020.

The pair were pictured wearing matching rosettes.

Yesterday, Mr Smith declined to comment to the T&A but on Monday, he had branded the situation "bizarre", saying: "We just took him in good faith. He has not just turned up five minutes ago - then I would have been suspicious.

"He has been knocking about for about a year and telling everybody who he is related to.

"If this chap is an imposter, we apologise for any offence caused to Terry and his family."

UKIP's national headquarters sought to distance themselves from the man yesterday and dismissed any suggestion he had Mr Farage's support.

A spokesman said: "For anyone to be considered as a UKIP candidate they have to be a party member and go through the selection process, which includes a thorough vetting process.

"UKIP Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire have no record of this man doing either."