THE fourth candidate in the Hartlepool by-election to fill the space left by Peter Mandelson will be chosen tonight.

The UK Independence Party's selection will be made from a shortlist of three following a secret ballot at a town centre hotel.

Former Hartlepool independent councillor Stephen Allison, farmer and fuel protestor Andrew Spence, and UKIP activist and self-employed business advisor Christine Williamson are hoping to be chosen.

They will join the Liberal Democrats' Jody Dunn, Labour's Iain Wright and John Bloom, of the Respect party, on the campaign trail.

Married father-of-two Mr Bloom, 39, is a co-ordinator of both the Nuclear Free Future and Save Our Hospital campaigns in Hartlepool and has been active in the fight to stop the so-called Ghost Ships being dismantled on the outskirts of town.

The care worker will be joined at a rally next Wednesday by fellow Unity Coalition activists, including MP George Galloway, who set up the party in protest at the war in Iraq.

Tonight, UKIP will announce its candidate after a vote by local members at the Grand Hotel.

Father-of-two Mr Allison, 44, from Hartlepool, is a former Labour Party member and works as a management consultant.

Mr Spence, 37, who lives in Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham, and has three children, contested the 2001 General Election for UKIP in Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency.

Ms Williamson, 49, a divorced mother-of-two, lives in Coxhoe, near Durham City, where she fought the last General Election for the party.

The Liberal Democrats have chosen barrister and mother-of-four Mrs Dunn, 35, and Labour have selected accountant and local councillor Mr Wright, 32, to fight to replace Euro-bound MP Peter Mandelson.

The Conservatives said last night an announcement on their candidate was imminent.

The by-election is expected to take place in late October or early November.