THE Conservative Party has revealed its candidate to fight the seat of North Durham at the forthcoming General Election.

Mark Watson, from Kimblesworth, Chester-le-Street, has been chosen to fight the seat currently held by Labour's Kevan Jones with a majority of 18,600.

Constituents are invited to a meet-the-candidate dinner, when Mr Watson will answer questions, at Beamish Park Golf Club, at 7pm, on Saturday, April 2.

Tickets are £15 and can be booked by sending a cheque, payable to North Durham Conservative Association, to chairman Frank Lumsden, Blessings, 24 Brackenbeds Close, Pelton, Chester-le-Street, DH2 1XH.

Meanwhile, a senior Conservative MP was visiting Durham City yesterday as campaigning gets under way ahead of the expected election.

Former Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, John Bercow MP, was in the city for several engagements.

After visiting sixth formers at Durham Johnston School, Mr Bercow spoke at St John's College on his recent visits to Darfur, Zimbabwe, Burma and the Middle East.

Mr Bercow was joined on the platform by Ben Rogers, the Tory candidate for the City of Durham constituency.