THE countdown to the by-election in Eddisbury has begun.

In just 24 hours, the doors of polling stations across the constituency will be flung open and voters will be forced to decide beside which name to mark their 'X'.

But it will be the early hours of Friday morning before the battle draws to a close and the results are announced.

The candidates, fighting it out for the seat left vacant by Tory MP Sir Alastair Goodlad's appointment as High Commissioner for Australia, are: Roger Joseph Everest (Independent Euro Conservative), Dinah Grice (Natural Law), Margaret Hanson (Labour), Alan Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony), Stephen O'Brien (Conservative) and Paul Roberts (Liberal Democrat).

Over the past few weeks, the constituency has been thrust into the national media spotlight with famous guests including William Hague, Jack Straw, John Prescott and Gordon Brown visiting to boost the by-election campaign.

Paddy Ashdown also planned to pay a visit to Eddisbury, but he was called into Kosovo to deal with more urgent matters.

However, he sent a message to constituents after contacting the Guardian. He said: "I am deeply and bitterly disappointed that I won't be able to support Paul in person, during what will be the last election in my leadership. It's the first time in 11 years as leader that I haven't been able to attend a by-election.

"Paul Roberts is one of our brightest stars. What makes him a very powerful contender is that he has lived in the constituency for some time."

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