TRUE blue Tory Debby Mercer saw red when thieves made off with election posters from the family's front garden.

But defiant Debby, 33, and 37-year-old husband Max were determined to get the message home and replaced the six-foot signs.

First, a man was seen making off with a "re-elect Tom Sackville" sign from the New Hall Lane, Heaton garden.

The couple, who have two young children, Darcy, five and two-year-old Austin, contacted Bolton's Tory headquarters for a replacement sign.

"We didn't want to give up and got three more large signs for the garden. This is a free country. I wouldn't remove Labour signs so why should anyone take mine?"

The signs were hammered into the ground on Monday - but yesterday morning they had gone.

"This is just not fair. How small minded can somebody be?" she added. Debby again contacted the Tory office and had the signs replaced.

Tom Sackville's election agent, James Stevens, said there was a problem with sign-nappers in the constituency.

He said: "There are a greater number of posters coming down at this election because, I believe, in Bolton West we are in a very tight situation."

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