PENSIONER Bill McCormack has found himself at the centre of a pre-election row after taping £1 coins to campaign leaflets which were distributed to Hampshire OAPs living in sheltered housing.

The 75-year-old party worker for the UK Independence Party, pictured, donated £200 of his own money to UKIP's campaign for the Southampton Test Seat.

He stuck £1 coins to each of the leaflets before party workers pushed them through the letterboxes of residents living at Rozel Court in Lower Brownhill Road, Southampton.

But his actions have sparked anger from local Lib Dems who say they will be reporting UKIP to Southampton's returning officer Mark Heath after the Bank Holiday break.

They will be accusing UKIP of breaking election rules.

Mr McCormack, a former Labour Party supporter, said: "It is just a gimmick. It is just showing people that the £1 sign is the motif of our party. If people don't like it, they can give the money to charity or they can put it in the waste paper bin."

But Liberal Democrat agent Sharon Mintoff said she would be reporting the matter to Southampton's returning officer, Mark Heath, as soon as she was given a copy of the leaflet.

She said: "I will be sending in a letter to Mr Heath for him to determine what to do from that point onwards."

UKIP's Southampton Test candidate Peter Day said he had advised Mr McCormack not to distribute the leaflet with a £1 coin stuck to it, but the pensioner had gone ahead with his plan.

He said: "He has a genuine passion and he acted on his own. He made a genuine mistake. His heart was in the right place. It is a bit of a storm in a teacup.

"To blame UKIP for that is a bit over the top."

Liberal Democrat candidate for Southampton Test, Steve Sollitt, said: "My own view is that this is an issue which should be dealt with by the agents for the political parties and the returning officer."

In the meantime, UKIP's party chiefs have made light of Mr McCormack's actions.

National party spokesman Quentin Williamson admitted that Mr McCormack's actions "could be interpreted as a bribe".

He said: "One of our elderly helpers said he would like to help.

"He is quite upset about this. It is very embarrassing. There is nothing we can do about it."

A spokesman for Southampton City Council said: "Any complaint about activities during an election would be examined fairly.

"However, it's not possible to comment on something which has not been drawn to the attention of the returning officer and his staff."

WHAT DO THE OTHER CANDIDATES STANDING IN SOUTHAMPTON TEST THINK ABOUT THE £1 COIN ROW?

Stephen MacLoughlin Conservative candidate: "It is one gentleman who got over enthusiastic about trying to make a point about retaining the £1. While strictly speaking it is against election law so long as it is only a few homes it is not and it is not being continued with, I would hope the returning officer would see it in the proper context."

John Spottiswoode Green party candidate, said: "I have heard about this and if it is true then clearly it is illegal as it is breaking election law. In any case, it is raising their party's profile through the publicity so I would imagine they think the idea has worked in that sense."

Labour candidate Alan Whitehead said: "This clearly breaks all the rules. It is not a question of party politics - this is quite flagrantly illegal."

FOR MORE ON THE 2005 GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN SEE PAGES 8 & 9 OF TODAY'S DAILY ECHO.