DOZENS of supporters have shown their support for Darlington’s sitting MP as she launched her campaign to win the seat in June’s General Election.

Jenny Chapman was in the town’s South Park to get her campaign underway on Sunday afternoon.

The MP holds a 3,158 majority from the election in May 2015 but the seat has been identified by the Conservative Party as one they are looking to win following Theresa May’s decision to call a snap-election last week.

Surrounded by placard carrying supporters, Ms Chapman said: “This was a way to involve everybody in my constituency and start to campaign to win the seat Darlington again. There is still so much to do for the town but I believe that I am best placed to continue delivering the changes to town needs.

“It’s going to be a difficult fight. I never take a single vote for granted and we will be contesting hard between now and the election on June 8.”

When asked about the Conservative Party selecting the constituency as one to win, she said: “Bring it on. I’m proud of my achievements and record in the town and I want to carry on fighting for the town.

“Darlington is the town that I grew up in, it’s the town where I was educated and it is the town that I live in.

“I look forward to the challenges ahead and will do my best to win the election.”

The MP clashed with the Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday over the future of Darlington’s hospital services on the day members of Parliament were asked to vote on whether to call the General Election.

Conservatives in Darlington will meet to vote on who will run to be the local MP in this June’s General Election. They are selecting from a shortlist of three: Peter Cuthbertson, Paul Howell and Matthew Vickers.

Mr Cuthbertson, 33, stood for Darlington MP two years ago when he increased the party’s percentage of the vote by almost four points.

Candidates for any other party wanting to contest the election have yet to be announced.