EXPECT a fierce battle to be played out in the Wyre Forest constituency - a seat where a shock result is far from implausible.

All the talk around Worcestershire often surrounds the Worcester 'bellwether' seat, with Conservative Robin Walker sitting on a 2,982 majority deemed by many to be vulnerable.

Yet up the road in the Wyre Forest, a combination of factors have come together to suggest the Tories could be facing a mini-storm here.

Mark Garnier was elected to parliament for the first time in 2010, sits on a majority of just 2,643 and will go into this contest defending it for the first time.

Until five years ago, you'd have to go back to 1992 to find the last time the Conservatives won here, with Labour grabbing it in 1997 before the seat was held by Health Concern campaigner Dr Richard Taylor in 2001 and 2005.

Mr Garnier is still favourite to retain his seat, but there is another factor here - the rise of the UK Independence Party.

UKIP has won five seats on Wyre Forest District Council as Nigel Farage's party has risen nationally, giving it a footprint that simply did not exist previously.

And a look at the candidates suggest an almighty scrap, with UKIP activist Michael Wrench, who has taken on a lead role within the branch, its hopeful.

Labour have selected Dr Matthew Lamb, a college lecturer who is well known in south Worcestershire because he sits on Worcester City Council, representing St John's.

Councillor Lamb had a stint in the council's old Labour cabinet in 2013 as cabinet member for cleaner and greener.

Andy Crick is standing for the Lib Dems while the Greens are involved too, with Natalie McVey, who is using internet crowd-funding to pay for some of her election costs, the candidate.

And Dr Taylor, twice elected under his 'Health Concern' banner, is trying one more time to return at the age of 80.

By campaigning to restore the A&E department at Kidderminster Hospital, which had been closed in 2000 due to NHS cuts, he won in 2001 with an 18,000 majority to defeat incumbent Labour MP and junior minister David Lock.

He retained it with a reduced 5,250 majority in 2005 before defeat in 2010 but still topped 16,000 votes.

If David Cameron wants an overall majority, a Tory hold is vital here, but expect the party to be pushed.

ANDY CRICK (LIB DEM)

I want to continue the hard work of Liberal Democrats to reduce the deficit, invest in services and secure our future.

We've cut the deficit in half and we want to balance the budget by 2018. This will allow us to invest even more in housing, rail, schools and our NHS.

We've cut people's taxes by £825 a year in this Parliament. I want to reduce the tax-free allowance further to give people more of their own money back.

Liberal Democrats have shown that we can work with other parties to deliver sensible policies. We would stop the Tories cutting services to the bone and we would stop Labour spending more than we can afford. We have shown how politicians working together deliver strong, stable government.

We have helped to deliver the country from the disastrous economic situation we faced in 2010.

We have cut taxes for the least well off – against the objections of the Tories – taking millions out of tax altogether.

We have invested in the NHS, in education and in rail and we can invest more with a balanced budget.

More Liberal Democrats in Parliament will secure moderate, sensible government for everyone.

MARK GARNIER (CON)

The outcome of the election will decide who runs this country.

Just as importantly, it will decide who will be your local MP.

Creating more jobs than ever has been a great success of the last five years, as has 2.2 million new apprenticeships, more women in work, and the lowest number of workless households ever.

As your MP, I have made sure that Wyre Forest didn’t just keep up with this success – we outperformed it.

We have more than halved local unemployment, we have excellent apprentice take up and we have significant investment coming into the area, bringing hundreds more jobs.

We have below average deprivation, below average child poverty and below average long term unemployment. But my job is just half done.

For the next five years I want to make sure that we in Wyre Forest get more training opportunities here, and more skilled jobs.

Importantly, I want us to get better wages and more full time jobs.

All our communities and public services will benefit from a strong local economy and employment. W We have all worked hard together to create this success: can we afford to waste the last five years by changing the Government and your local MP?

MATTHEW LAMB (LAB)

I am standing because Wyre Forest made me.

I was raised and educated in the constituency, had my first jobs here and met my partner, Zoe, here.

I believe that Wyre Forest has suffered under the Tories since 2010. Local families have been hit by the Bedroom Tax, have seen their wages fallen, have seen their services cut and have seen their jobs become more insecure.

Wyre Forest deserves better.

I will ensure that the economy works for Wyre Forest by balancing the books fairly. Education and health will be protected.

I will tackle the cost of living crisis by freezing energy bills, banning zero hours contracts, raising the minimum wage and providing more free childcare.

I will fight to protect our NHS by putting more money in to pay for the doctors and nurses we need.

I will give young people a decent start in life by cutting tuition fees, capping class sizes and giving young people good qualifications.

I will be an MP with the courage of my convictions and the independence of mind to stand up for Wyre Forest. Vote Matt Lamb on May 7th.

MICHAEL WRENCH (UKIP)

As your UKIP Parliamentary Candidate I will always put your interests first.

I am a local man, born and educated in Wyre Forest. I have an Armed Forces background and I live and run my own small business here.

The political landscape is changing as more and more people realise UKIP is speaking for them and not at them. On issues like the wasteful foreign aid budget – uncontrolled immigration and paying for the excesses of EU Bureaucrats UKIP lead the way promoting common sense policies.

My aim is to halt the economic decline of our area; we do not need endless vanity projects. We need to regenerate our derelict brown field sites and put Wyre Forest back on the economic map.

UKIP is known for its opposition to the European Union; but we stand for a lot more than that.

We believe that government at local, national and European level has become too remote from the people; they have forgotten that they work for us. Bureaucrats and professional politicians have taken over and the people's voice – the voice of common sense – is too often ignored and overridden.

We have shown that if you VOTE UKIP; you will get UKIP. Vote Michael Wrench on May 7th.

NATALIE MCVEY (GREEN)

For the first time, people in Wyre Forest will have the opportunity to vote Green in a General Election.

The political landscape is definitely changing, we are seeing an end to 'business as usual' politics and you can play a huge role in further shaping this.

The Green Party are offering you the positive, progressive alternative that you have been looking for.

I want action for a fairer society, better public services and a more sustainable future for everyone.

From defending public services to ending animal cruelty, from championing sustainable energy to opposing fracking, from improving public transport to providing a home that you can afford to live in, we aim to build a society that works for the common good.

If elected as your MP in Wyre Forest, I will continue to strive towards greater equality, free education, a stable climate and local democracy. I am asking you to vote for what you believe in. Vote with your heart as well as your head.

Have hope.

DR RICHARD TAYLOR (HEALTH CONCERN)

I wish to stand for Health Concern to be Wyre Forest’s MP again because no political party is standing up strongly enough for the NHS against the threats from the current Government.

These were initiated by the last Labour Government.

As an MP, independent of the main political parties, I will campaign for the NHS, to improve safety and quality of care, and to improve access to emergency care for the people of Wyre Forest.

Never let it be said that we are a single-issue party.

Regarding the economy, we reject austerity on moral, economic and public health grounds.

We support effective collection of taxes, the 50p higher tax rate, higher taxes on luxury goods and services, and a statutory, minimum living wage.

We support a cap on bonuses for already very highly paid employees when other employees of the same organisations are on low wages.

We oppose zero hours’ contracts and all forms of discrimination including gender inequality.

We are not against immigration. The NHS has been supported for years by immigrant doctors and nurses, and would have failed without them.

With Health Concern’s history of success at local elections, and my experience as an MP we offer a realistic and attractive alternative to voters disillusioned with the main political parties.