A LABOUR candidate in this week’s council elections has been suspended by the party after a derby day bust-up outside a pub in the town he hopes to represent.

Craig Patterson, of Ferryhill, County Durham, was one of two men cautioned by police for an assault on a rival football fan in the wake of the Tyne-Wear derby.

Police were called to a disturbance outside The Greyhound pub, in Market Street, Ferryhill, on the afternoon of Sunday, April 14.

Officers attended and spoke to the injured man, a 55-year-old Sunderland supporter who lives just a few streets away from Mr Patterson, of Dean Park, who had been punched in the face by two men and left with a cut lip.

It is understood Mr Patterson and the second attacker are Newcastle United fans and were upset after watching their team’s 3-0 defeat in the pub.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “Two men, a 39-year-old and a 42-year-old, both from Ferryhill, received police cautions for assault.”

Following the incident Mr Patterson, who is standing to be a councillor in the Ferryhill ward of Durham County Council and the Broom ward of Ferryhill Town Council, was placed on administrative suspension by the Labour Party pending an internal investigation into his conduct.

A Labour North spokesperson said: “As the date for withdrawal of candidature has now passed, Mr Patterson will remain on the ballot paper but he will not feature on any future election literature from the party and should he be successfully elected he will not be allowed to join the Labour Group until the investigation process is completed."

Mr Patterson last night declined to comment to The Northern Echo.

Also standing for election as a county councillor in Ferryhill are Ferryhill Town Council leader Pat McCourt and deputy leader Pauline Crathorne (both Labour); Brian Avery, a Labour councillor for 44 years who is standing as an independent; and Mel Brown, David Farry and Charlie Rand (all Free Association for Independent Representation).