MAYOR hopeful H'Angus the Monkey insists there will be no monkey business in his bid to become Hartlepool's first directly-elected mayor.

As revealed in yesterday's edition of The Northern Echo, H'Angus, Hartlepool United Football Club's cheeky mascot, has thrown his banana into the ring in the race to become mayor when the town goes to the polls on May 2.

Stuart Drummond, whose name will appear on the ballot papers, but will fight his campaign under the H'Angus banner, is relishing the task.

While some parties have mocked his efforts, Mr Drummond, a 28-year-old call centre worker, said: "I am a genuine candidate. I'm not playing around or trying to undermine anyone.

"As my slogan says, I really give a monkey's about our town. If elected, I will give all the kids free bananas because they don't get milk any more. But there are a lot of real issues that deeply affect people, which need to be addressed."

Campaign manager and Pool season-ticket holder Ron Harnish admitted the novelty value would always attract the doubters, but said: "We promise there will be a few surprises along the campaign trail.

"The campaign will be centred around the town's youth - there is a lot of work to be done and problems to conquer on that front - and if we can push the other candidates to the wire and increase the profile of both the club and town it will be brilliant."

Mr Drummond insists his mischievous past will not affect his hopes - he was ejected from Scunthorpe's Glanford Park in November 2001 for allegedly simulating sex behind a matchday hostess and suffered a similar fate at Blackpool during last season's Division Three play-off clash after marching onto the pitch with a blow-up doll.

"People in Hartlepool love H'Angus," he said.

"I want to spruce up the election and try and brighten things up.

"Too many people aren't interested in politics, but hopefully they soon will be.

"What was said in the past about me was rubbish and it won't come into play."

H'Angus is being backed by the Victoria Park club, which is stumping up the £500 deposit - but the club will not be actively involved in the running of his campaign.

Local businessman Ian Cameron yesterday became the fifth candidate to stand, and nominations must be submitted by noon today