Police are investigating complaints that a British National Party member used a couple's names without their permission to qualify as an election candidate.

Katy Ostick said she was horrified to discover that the names of her and her partner, Alex Szarko, were listed among the assentors on the nomination form for Peter Wade, who unsuccessfully stood for the BNP in the Eccleshill ward in the Council elections this month.

Miss Ostick says she first knew their names had been used when a friend told her after seeing the couple's names on a public notice at a polling station on election day.

The 29-year-old mum-of-one said: "A friend of mine, who is an Asian Muslim woman, asked me if I had seen it. I went down to the polling station with my partner and there were our names on a list of eight assentors in black and white.

"I would definitely not put my name against something for the BNP. Anything that comes through the post from the BNP goes straight into the bin. I am horrified. I have many Muslim friends. I was sick to the stomach to find my name associated with the BNP."

Miss Ostick, of Norman Lane, Eccleshill, reported the matter to ward Councillor Jeanette Sunderland who advised the couple to complain to the police and the Council's election unit.

Salman Mather, the Council's head of democratic services, said: "A concern has been raised about the validity of signatures on the nomination form of an unsuccessful candidate in the election. The returning officer is looking into the matter."

A West Yorkshire police spokesman said: "Bradford Council has made us aware of an issue concerning the validity of a nomination form. Our inquiries are at a very early stage."

Coun Sunderland, leader of the Council's Liberal Democrats group, confirmed Miss Ostick and Mr Szarko, 30, had complained to her.

She said: "Their names are shown as people who have been assentors to the nomination for the BNP candidate in Eccleshill, Peter Wade. They are the only people on the electoral register for Eccleshill who have those names."

Under electoral law, each election candidate must be backed up by a proposer, seconder and eight assentors who all must live in the ward where the person they are nominating is standing.

Yesterday Mr Wade denied the complaints against him and insisted the couple had supported his nomination.

He said: "I asked them if they would nominate me in the Cricketer's Arms in Eccleshill and they were both more than willing. They both signed the nomination form in the pub. They knew what it was all about."

In response, Mr Szarko and Miss Ostick said they have never been to the Cricketer's Arms and denied giving permission for their names to be used by the BNP.

Miss Ostick said she fears she will be shunned because of the association with the Far Right party.

"A few people have gone cold on me," she said.

"We have a massive circle of Asian friends and we go to Asian balls about three times a year."

e-mail: fiona.evans@bradford.newsquest.co.uk