A DAMAGING split has hit south Wiltshire's Tories, just 11 weeks before voters go the polls in the county council elections.

It follows the deselection in Amesbury of current Wiltshire county council chairman Allan Peach.

Mr Peach (69) had planned to stand for the party again at the county elections on May 5 - which political pundits are predicting will also be the date of the general election.

But he was ousted at a selection meeting of the Upper Avon branch of the Salisbury Conservative Association and replaced as official Tory candidate for the county contest by his Salisbury district council colleague John Noeken.

Now Mr Peach says he will stand against the Tories at the May 5 polls and seek re-election as an independent.

The retired butcher, who has been county councillor for Amesbury for the past eight years and was first elected to the district and town councils in 1976, said he was bitterly disappointed at the party's decision to drop him.

"Bearing in mind my past record and loyal service to the Conservative Party, during which I have served on all three tiers of local government, I find the decision of the selection meeting quite hurtful," he said.

He added that, although the local party in Amesbury had a paid-up membership of more than 100, his fate had been decided by just 27 members who had attended the meeting.

The former chairman of Salisbury district council and former mayor of Amesbury had a 1,300-vote majority at the last county council elections - and is likely to pose a serious threat to the Tories this time round.

Mr Peach said: "I have unfinished business on the county council and made it clear to the party that I wanted to serve another four years to see it through. I will now ask the people of Amesbury to go on putting their faith in me and return me to County Hall as an independent."

His decision to stand against the Tory candidate could well get him expelled from the party.

"If that happens, I shall also switch to being an independent on the district council and serve out my remaining two years on that authority," he said. "I would not resign."

Councillor Noeken, who is deputy mayor of Amesbury as well as district council portfolio holder for planning and economic development, said that he and Mr Peach had both put themselves forward for selection as Conservative candidate for the Amesbury division and that party workers has chosen Mr Noeken in a ballot.

"Allan has done a good job in the many years that he has been a councillor," he said. "I believe my record as a cabinet member, district and town councillor for Amesbury and my ability to work as part of a team will help me represent Amesbury at county level."