THOUSANDS of homes across York are to receive a pre-election video from the city's Tory candidate in the May poll.

Clive Booth's video features a series of striking newspaper headlines like "Clubbed to death", "Beyond the law" and "Armed and dangerous".

He said they reinforce his principal campaign theme - that York voters wanted to see more police on the streets.

Mr Booth, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for York, said a headline in the Evening Press last year "changed his life".

"'In the Gutter' featured a picture of a woman vomiting in York city centre, collapsed because of a drinking binge session.

"I want York to be a place worthy to bring up my children, and I decided there and then that enough was enough," said Mr Booth.

"My party has five simple pledges: lower tax; more police; school discipline; cleaner hospitals and controlled immigration."

He said the video was aimed at 15,000 floating voters he believed will swing the outcome in York.

The video is being sent to about 5,000 targeted households across the constituency.

Updated: 10:37 Thursday, April 21, 2005