THE British National Party (BNP) is planning to target Tony Blair's constituency and that of former cabinet member Peter Mandelson in this year's council elections.

The right-wing group has announced plans to field candidates in Hartlepool and East Durham.

The announcement follows a recruitment drive at the weekend during which BNP activists targeted more than 500 homes in some of the most deprived areas of Hartlepool.

Campaigners from the group travelled from Tyneside and Wearside to hand out leaflets appealing for people to join the group and stand in the local authority elections.

Leaflets were handed out in streets surrounding Mr Mandelson's Hutton Avenue home, and activists were also on the streets of Trimdon Village, which is the constituency home of Mr Blair.

Regional organiser Kevin Scott said the response from people in Hartlepool was encouraging and the town, along with Trimdon, was on a hit-list due to their high-profile MPs.

He said: "They obviously are the people responsible for the rundown of industry in the area and the increase in the number of asylum seekers.

"We feel that they have let the British people down and we want to give a lot of dissatisfied people an alternative."

The elections will take place on Thursday, May 1, and nominations must be submitted by midday on Tuesday, April 1.