A UKIP council candidate says he has been banned from standing at the next local elections for speaking his mind.

Les Wareing came second with nearly 30 per cent of the vote in Westhoughton South last May — but was left furious when UKIP decided they would not be targeting the ward in three months time.

Former construction site manager Mr Wareing aired his grievances at a branch party meeting when he learned that his ward would not be one focused on by the party.

Following that meeting, UKIP's Bolton branch chairman Joan Johnson wrote to him, saying his conduct was unacceptable and that his application to stand this year in Westhoughton South would not be processed.

UKIP is set to target Hulton, Breightmet, Tonge with the Haulgh, Farnworth and Kearsley, as well as Horwich and Blackrod.

Ms Johnson is set to contest Hulton, the ward in which Cllr Diane Parkinson pulled off a shock victory over Conservative Andy Morgan last year.

Last year the branch chairman came third behind the Conservatives and Labour in Westhoughton North and Chew Moor.

Ms Johnson said it was her right as chairman to contest a targeted ward.

UKIP finished second in 2014 in the other five seats, losing by 346 votes in Farnworth and Tonge with the Haulgh, just five fewer than the Labour majority in Westhoughton South.

Mr Wareing, who denied that he was unduly aggressive at the meeting, said: "To the hundreds of people who voted for me last time to get second place, I would like to apologise that I won't be running again and thank them for their support.

"I have been black-balled for speaking my mind and that is entirely and totally out of order.

"I got a second place last time from a standing start and they cannot even be bothered to support me."

Ms Johnson said: "He was extremely rude to the point of aggression and telling people in the room to shut up.

"We cannot target every ward. We target wards where we got particularly good results and where we might get in.

"There is no malice whatsoever. There never has been and there never would be."

UKIP is still set to field a candidate in Westhoughton South, but that person has not yet been selected.

Mr Wareing insists he remains committed to UKIP nationally, but Ms Johnson said: "Supporting the party would not be going to the paper.

"Supporting the party would have been to come back and apologise."