MORE than 100 tickets have already been snapped up for the Gazette’s election hustings.

The candidates vying to be Clacton’s MP at May’s General Election will be taking part in the hustings on Monday, April 27, at the West Cliff Theatre, Tower Road, Clacton.

The event is free and admission will be by ticket only, with any spare tickets made available on the door on the night.

Doors will open at 7pm, with the debate – following the Question Time format – starting at 7.30pm and lasting for about an hour and 20 minutes, with a 30-minute interval.

All the declared Clacton Parliamentary candidates have agreed to attend – Douglas Carswell (Ukip), David Grace (Lib Dem), Chris Southall (Green), Giles Watling (Con) and Tim Young (Lab) – and if more candidates are declared, they will also be invited.

Chris Opperman, a former presenter on the BBC World Service and BBC Radio Suffolk, will chair the hustings.

Mr Opperman is president of Frinton Rotary Club and Gazette editor Aynsley Davidson said: “I am delighted that Chris will be chairing our hustings.

“Chris is a much-respected broadcaster and journalist whose expertise and good humour will ensure that we have an insightful and good natured event.”

We are taking bookings now for your free tickets to the Clacton hustings.

Simply e-mail us at cf.gazette@nqe.com with your name, address, contact number and how many tickets you wish to have.

Tickets will be made available for collection at our office at 28 Jackson Road, Clacton, CO15 1QL, or at the West Cliff Theatre on the night.

Readers can submit their questions to the candidates by e-mailing cf.gazette@nqe.com. Please add your name and address to the question. The deadline for submitting questions for the hustings is Friday, April 17.