FORMER Chorley MP Den Dover might have disappeared off centre stage on the Chorley political scene - but he's still been playing his part.

And now he is looking towards Europe with fresh ambition - to become a North West MEP.

Soon after the Conservative lost his Chorley seat to Labour's Lindsay Hoyle last May, he went back to 'work', becoming head of the Ready Mixed Concrete Bureau, a trade association with a £3 billion turnover.

He travels to Europe and the United States on business, but maintained regular contact with Chorley to help the Tories fight this month's local elections throughout the borough.

"The voters are still giving Labour the benefit of the doubt and they are still having an extended honeymoon,"said the former civil engineer.

On his European aim, he explained: "I'm hoping to fight the North West at the Euro elections next June. We are in the process as a party of choosing our candidates."

And he hasn't ruled out fighting the Chorley seat again at the next General Election.

Mr Dover, aged 60, likes to keep fit by running - "I run four miles in 30 minutes" - and plays cricket and hockey.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.