AND they're off. There's a whiff of gunsmoke in the air and all eyes are focused on June 7.

Sadly it will be all over bar the cheering when Skipton's general election result is declared on the day following the poll (the rural sprawl of the constituency determining that counting will not begin until Friday afternoon).

For voters in this constituency there is more than an air of deja vu.

The Conservatives and UK Independence Party candidates are unchanged, while Labour and the Lib Dems are fielding men remarkably similar in age, profile and indeed looks to the last time.

Current MP David Curry has a big majority to defend, a record as a hard worker in his constituency and simmering discontent over his pro-European views.

Labour is fielding another bright, young candidate who has the perhaps unique advantage for a Labour man in Skipton of having a sound economic record to defend.

True to form, the Liberal Democrats have opted for a local (well, North Yorkshire at least) man from the county council.

And feisty Nancy Holdsworth will endear herself to the voters (how many candidates will be able to ask on the doorstep "You may have seen me with no clothes on"?) and hope to feast off Mr Curry's dissenters.