A BURNLEY woman alleged to have had her proxy vote filled in by two councillors because she was "on holiday" had never been on holiday in her life, a court was told.

Brenda Holmes was one of the people whose proxy voting forms are alleged to have been illegally filled in by Burnley councillors Manzur Hussain and Mozaquir Ali.

As the trial of the members for Daneshouse with Stoneyholme ward continued, jurors were told some of people said to have voted by proxy did not even own a passport.

In a statement Mrs Holmes gave to police, read out at Preston Crown Court, she denied being on holiday at the time and added: "As a result I don't want to vote any more because it's all too much trouble."

Another resident, Latif Mannan denied being away for polling day and said: "I have not written this and can confirm I was in the UK and do not even hold a passport."

Colin McGlynn told police: "The last time I went away on holiday was more than 20 years ago."

And George Grimshaw said the form was pushed through his letter box but he did properly understand what he was signing.

He said he was not away at the times stated on the form and added: "The last time I did so was 18 years ago and I do not have a current passport."

Margaret Bench said two Asian men called at her house and asked her to sign the form.

But she said she was not away from home from on the dates claimed on the form.

Hussain, 44, of Brougham Street and Ali, 58, of Milner Street deny conspiracy to defraud a returning officer in local government elections.

The charges relate to 167 proxy votes out of 195 submitted for the all-postal election.