POLICE have hit back at criticisms that they failed to protect a candidate as the Hartlepool by-election result was announced early yesterday.

Liberal Democrat Jody Dunn, from Gainford, near Darlington, was left in tears after a purple flour attack by the Fathers-4-Justice candidate Paul Watson.

Mrs Dunn, 35, a family law barrister, lost by 2,000 votes to Labour's Iain Wright and was making a speech when she was "dusted" by Mr Watson.

Earlier, Mr Wright had been barracked as he made his acceptance speech.

Ms Dunn's election agent, Ed Fordham, said: "We were given assurances that Jody would be protected. The police utterly failed to do that. We have told the police we are going to pursue the matter."

Superintendent Dave Nixon, of Cleveland Police, said: "There was intelligence that Fathers-4-Justice planned to carry out publicity stunts, such as a rooftop protest at the count and an invasion of the stage as the result was announced. Both were prevented.

"There was no indication that Paul Watson, their candidate, would pour powder, which had been hidden in a cigarette packet, over Jody Dunn.

"It was agreed that everyone who entered the hall, apart from the candidates, would be searched and, throughout the evening, Mrs Dunn had a plain-clothed officer at her side."

Fathers-4-Justice spokes-man Matt O'Connor said Mr Watson, who lives in Thornley, east Durham, did not regret his action.

He said: "We thought about showing respect for the traditions of the electoral process and then we thought sod it."

Mr Watson was released on police bail and is due back for further questioning later this month.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr Wright toured the streets of his constituency on an open-top red London bus blaring out Fat Boy Slim's song Right Here, Right Now.

Accompanied by heavily pregnant wife, Tiffiny, who is expecting their fourth child within weeks, the new Labour MP waved and smiled at shoppers and pedestrians across the centre of the town.

He was joined on the bus by young supporters, party members and two MPs, Fraser Kemp, his campaign manager and MP for Houghton and Washington East, in neighbouring Wearside, and campaign activist Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham.

The party's regional organiser, Mick Hills, announced from the bus: ''You voted Labour, you have got a man from the town - Mr Iain Wright.

"Your MP for Hartlepool - from the town, for the town."

Mr Wright said that one of his first meetings would be with Cleveland Police to discuss crime issues