One election without any of the above would have been too much to ask.

In Blackburn canvassers and two election candidates were involved in a street bust up.

Police were called to Blackburn's Bastwell ward when the dispute, which allegedly included violence, began over postal voting election packs.

The following day Tory candidate Hamid Khan, existing Labour councillor Mahfooz Hussain, police, party leaders and activists met and assurances were made that the incident would not be repeated.

Witnesses said a large crowd of people from both sides were involved in the incident while canvassers worked in Holly Street.

The then council leader Sir Bill Taylor and Tory leader Colin Rigby confirmed there had been a dispute and police said there had been an incident caused by "voting tension."

A police spokesman said the dispute started over "an allegation of vote rigging" and that they had received an allegation of assault.

The spokesman added, "A number of people were spoken to but no arrests were made. A meeting was later held of the candidates and the leaders of their local parties to draw a line under the issue."

In Burnley a second police investigation was launched into alleged election fraud.

Police said the investigation was launched after a complaint that party workers were taking postal ballot papers from electors and filling them in as they were delivered by postmen.

Council bosses, the police and the Royal Mail worked together to carry out the investigation.

DS Steve Mounsey of Burnley CID said, "We can confirm that we have received a number of allegations which police are currently investigating."

Meanwhile in Bradford Police mounted extra patrols in Bradford after complaints that voters were being forced to hand over their postal ballot forms to gangs of thugs.

Officers have stepped up their presence in the Lidget Green area after reports of doorstep intimidation.

Police also received a complaint that a man pretending to be a council official targeted homes in the Bowling ward and demanding householders hand over their ballot papers.

Sergeant Chris Colligan, the police planning officer for the Bradford district, said the extra police presence was designed to reassure residents as no "direct evidence" of intimidation had been found although several complaints had been made.

Bradford Council leader Margaret Eaton said: "Postal voting gives the opportunity for people to intimidate voters so it is up to all of us to make sure that doesn't happen so people are not pressurised into handing over ballot papers unsealed or unfinished."

Sgt Colligan said: "There have be concerns raised by community representatives that this is happening, but the investigation by the police has revealed no direct evidence of anything of that nature."

In Oldham an election candidate was arrested for suspected electoral fraud and theft.

Aftab Hussain (39), a Liberal Democrat in the Alexandra ward was arrested and questioned at Oldham police station following a visit by two men to a house in Queens Road, Oldham. It is alleged that they offered to look after the ballot papers of the family at that address.

The following day the family contacted police. Aftab Hussain was released on bail until August 5 while Oldham police carry out further inquiries.