ALL three of East Lancashire's Labour MPs have thrown their support behind the Leigh MP Andy Burnham in the race to succeed the defeated Ed Miliband.

Newcomers Kate Hollern (Blackburn) and Julie Cooper (Burnley) each nominated the former Health Secretary in the party leadership stakes.

And Hyndburn's Graham Jones has also pitched in for Mr Burnham, who appears to be running neck-and-neck with Yvette Cooper among parliamentary colleagues.

Mr Jones had previously nominated Ed Balls for the leadership in 2010, when Ed Miliband triumphed, but has rejected nominating his wife in 2015.

The other candidates for the top post include Liz Kendall and left-winger Jeremy Corbyn.

Candidates will take part in a series of public and televised hustings over the next few weeks before voting takes places and the winner is announced before the party conference takes place in September.