BEST-SELLING novelist Frederick Forsyth is the latest high-profile personality to publicly back the father of a murdered Red Cap's bid to unseat Tony Blair in Sedgefield, it was announced yesterday.

The author and newspaper columnist will be visiting the constituency at the weekend to urge voters to support Reg Keys.

The 52-year-old anti-Iraq war protestor, standing as an Independent, is basing his campaign on accusations the Prime Minister misled Parliament about the reasons for going to war.

His son, Lance Corporal Tom Keys, 20, was one of six Red Caps killed by an Iraqi mob as they manned a small police station in Al Majar Al Kabir on June 24, 2003.

Mr Forsyth, who has penned many successful novels, including The Day of the Jackal and the Fourth Protocol, said: ''I am making a direct appeal to the voters of Sedgefield to ignore the Conservative candidate, and the Liberal Democrat, and to vote for Reg Keys, a decent, honest man whose son was killed for a tissue of lies.

''We must make it clear that we are not prepared to be lied to and that it is not acceptable to send our forces to war on the basis of lies.''

On Saturday, the author, a lifelong Conservative, will place a large bunch of white lilies on the war memorial at Sedgefield in honour of those who died in past wars and in the war in Iraq.

Already backing Mr Keys are the former Independent MP Martin Bell, former Roxy Music star Brian Eno and former MI5 officer David Shayler.

Yesterday, Cherri Blairout-Gilham, a former Page 3 model and Benny Hill girl, announced she was withdrawing from the election and urged her supporters to back Mr Keys, a retired ambulance driver from North Wales.

Pensioners' Party candidate Ms Blairout-Gilham, who changed her name by deed poll in order to be next to the Labour leader on the ballot paper, said: "I haven't met Reg, but I saw him speak at the Stop the War rally in Trafalgar Square in March and was deeply moved.

"I think he is genuine and gathering a lot of support, so I want to support his campaign.

"It is not that I am walking away from pensioners, because I still care very much about that cause, but I couldn't oppose the man I think could help get Blair out."

There are 12 other candidates running for the Sedgefield seat.