THE man who served as the last ever 'Mayor of Andover' in 1976 has come out of retirement to contest the next General Election on behalf of the UK Independence Party.

Peter Sumner, who was known as 'the voice of the people' during his time as one of Andover's longest serving councillors, overcame the challenge of two other candidates to win the parliamentary nomination.

He will line up against sitting Conservative MP Sir George Young, third time Labour candidate Mick Mumford, Liberal Democrat Martin Tod and anyone else who throws their hat into the ring.

The next election could come as early as Thursday 5 May. Mr Sumner, who describes himself as an active 74-year-old, explained why he had come out of retirement.

"I have been enjoying my retirement, painting water colours and playing golf. I had been asked eight times to become involved and refused eight times," he said. "I have endured enough political back-stabbing in the past to last a lifetime but when they showed me a video I realised I couldn't sit back as so many powers have been taken away from us. We're going to be part of a dictatorship."

He added that he doesn't want to be known in history as Andover's last ever mayor. He wants the centuries-old post reinstated.