Fed up fire fighters are to contest Labour councillors for seats in town hall elections on Teesside in May.

Disillusioned with Labour nationally and locally, Middlesbrough firemen Kevin Morby and Telfer Whitfield are among five Middlesbrough Independents, announced yesterday.

Along with fellow independents Ron Burdett, Tony Hutchinson and Joan McTigue, they cite the high level of expenses claimed by a number of councillors for prompting them to stand.

Telfer, a Fire Brigades Union spokesman at Middlesbrough, said: "It's time for a change, locally.''

The group says they will not be running up election expenses.

"We each have two legs and our own computers and common sense; and we have people who are going to help us,'' said Mrs McTigue.

"We have been asking people if there was an independent standing in their ward, would they vote for them ? And the reply has been an overwhelming yes.

"We just want to speak for people who don't want to vote Labour. People will now know there is an alternative. For over 50 years Labour has run the council. You pay your council tax, but if you don't vote Labour, you don't get a voice.''

The five have been inspired by ex Detective Superintendent Ray Mallon's landslide election as Mayor of Middlesbrough, last year.

"An independent mayor needs independent councillors,'' said Mr Hutchinson.

The independents say there should be a change in the electoral system with parties receiving seats proportionate to the number of votes their receive.

In the meantime, the independents say they will stand as a group of local residents "pledged to the welfare of the town and not with an allegiance to the majority faction in a political party.''