A WIDNES woman has raised concerns about the security surrounding the local elections after her three-year-old daughter was allowed to vote.

Anna Thornton, 30, of Brandon, Hough Green, said she was amazed when a polling card bearing her toddler's details dropped on the doormat.

Mrs Thornton decided to test the system by taking her daughter, Olivia, along with the card to see if there were safeguards in place to stop such mistakes slipping through the net.

But she claims to have encountered no difficulties when she attended the polling station at All Saints, Upton.

Mrs Thornton believes the situation was the result of an administrative error but has been left wondering how many other incorrectly addressed cards have been issued.

She said: 'We went in there with the card, I sat her up, gave her the pencil and she crossed the box herself.

'She voted for Labour. 'I don't know how this happened but my daughter is getting other mail, including letters through the post offering her a £2,000-limit Visa card and car insurance.

'I was shocked - I actually wondered whether someone was using her name fraudulently, especially considering the other letters she has received.

'They go on about election security but they don't ask for ID at the polling station - anyone could vote.

'If there are cards going out to kids, how do you know that they also are not going to other people who shouldn't be getting them?

'In my view, the voting system is a load of garbage and it makes you wonder how many cards like this have been sent out.'

A council spokeswoman said: 'Our electoral registration records show that the only name entered on the electoral registration form for Mrs Thornton's address was that of Olivia M Thornton. The form requests the householder to list only the names of those people who are aged 16 and above and clearly asks for the dates of birth of 16/17-year-olds.

'As Olivia's name was listed, without any date of birth, it was then included on the electoral roll.

'The returning officer is unaware of any such incident occurring in any polling station in Halton.'

Mrs Thornton strongly denies that she filled out the form incorrectly.