FIVE political parties will go head to head on Thursday in the fight for the last Calne Town Council seat.

The five vying for the Lickhill ward seat are Ellie Bland for the United Kingdom Independent Party, Glenis Ansell for the Liberal Democrats, Robert Baggs for the British National Party, Geoff Brown for the Green Party and Greg Widger for the Conservatives.

Retired gardener Mr Brown, 60, who is known across Calne as the Mad Hatter because of his collection of eccentric hats, said people should vote for him because he is approachable to the old and young and would bring insight to the council.

He said: "If I became a councillor I would look at creating a renewable energy source in Calne from the river and creating more jobs for young people in the town."

BNP candidate Mr Baggs, 48, a practice manager, has been posting a daily online blog during the campaign.

It reads: "With what is happening in this country there is little wonder that the BNP are gaining so many new members and it further convinces me that the British National Party are the only hope this country has if it wants to retain anything of what is/was good about this nation."

UKIP candidate Ellie Bland, who was suspended from the Tory party in November 2006 for sending an alleged racist email, said she was pleased with the support she had gained from people in the ward.

The Liberal Democrat candidate Mrs Ansell, 59, who works for Lloyds Bank, wants to bring a sense of community to the Lickhill Ward.

She said: "I think we need to make people feel like a community. Making sure people are safe and have that community feeling."