PRO-HUNTING campaigners want to de-seat Pendle's Labour MP Gordon Prentice in the forthcoming general election.

Mr Prentice has been named in a top 10 hit list of MPs they want to defeat in marginal constituencies.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, husband and wife Charles and Chipps Mann have unleashed a political crusade, infuriated by the hunting ban which is due to come into force at midnight on February 17.

They have so far attracted the support of 5,000 volunteers who have been directed to help Conservatives, and in some cases Liberal Democrats, topple Labour MPs in certain areas.

Mr Prentice, who is a vehement opponent of blood sports, has held his seat since 1992 and has been an influential figure in getting the hunting ban on the statute book.

At the last general election in 2001 he had a majority of 4,275 votes over the Conservative candidate.

In the forthcoming general election he will defend his seat against Conservative Jane Ellis, who was selected to stand for the party in January last year.

Mr Prentice will also be pitted against the prospective parliamentary candidate for the British National Party, Tom Boocock, who has previously stood for Boulsworth in the district council elections.

The Liberal Democrats have yet to announce their candidate and a hustings event is due to take place next Friday.

Commenting on the Sunday Telegraph report, Mr Prentice said: "I have no idea what my Conservative opponent's views are on the issue. I hope she shares the views of a handful of courageous Conservative MPs such as Ann Widdecombe, Roger Gale and Teddy Taylor, who voted to ban blood sports.

"If she wants to bring back hare coursing, deer hunting and all the other blood sports she should say so. The Conservatives' policy is to repeal the Hunting Act."

He added: "There is no Liberal Democrat candidate in place here yet, but in the Commons half the Liberal Democrat MPs voted for a ban on hunting and the other half against. This is fairly typical of the way they operate."

Miss Ellis told the Herald: "Whilst I don't support the hunt ban, the Act is poor legislation in my view. Like many Pendle residents I am just amazed that so much parliamentary time was spent debating hunting over the last few years given that Britain has far more pressing priorities, such as tackling rising violent crime and cutting government waste. I think, for most people, issues like these will be key at election time"