The Lib Dem and Tory alliance will be bidding to defend their two-year-old, three-member majority.

There will be 54 candidates vying for the 15 seats up for grabs.

Deputy council leader Margaret Lishman will defend her Briercliffe seat and Tory leader Coun Peter Doyle, executive finance member, is to contest his Whittlefield with Ightenhill position.

Coun Andy Tatchell, Labour group leader in Burnley, is defending his Gawthorpe seat.

Council leader Gordon Birtwistle's son Justin, for the Lib Dems, will challenge Labour deputy chief Coun Mark Towsend in Gannow.

And Cliviger with Worsthorne promises to be a fierce battleground, with five candidates vying for seats, including former British National Party local leader Steven Smith.

He will represent the England First Party, which he chairs, against Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

Coun Sharon Wilkinson, current leader of Burnley BNP, is up for election in Hapton with Park ward.

The BNP's John Rowe, who lost out in a High Court battle with Paul Reynolds over a council seat in Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, will contest the same ward again in May.

Labour might find it hard to gain ground on the alliance as it holds eight of the 15 seats up for election, with just four Lib Dem and two Conservative seats being contested.