A Conservative county councillor who has been deselected as a candidate for the forthcoming elections has vowed to fight it as an independent.

Cllr Nigel Collor, who has represented the Dover town division for 12 years in two stints, resigned his party membership of 28 years with “immediate effect” last weekend.

The 79-year-old says he is “hurt” by his treatment as he was not given a reason for being dropped.

But he believes his age and a long-standing illness counted against him.

Cllr Collor says he went through two selection panel interviews before being told he was being deselected.

He has been a Conservative in local government at various levels including district and town council for a quarter of a century.

He added: “I don’t know why because they haven’t told me but the only thing I can think of is my age and a health problem which shouldn’t really come into it, in my opinion.

“I feel hurt. After all these years you’d think they’d let me have a go - after all, they’re going to need all their most experienced players on the pitch this time round.”

Cllr Collor says he takes medication for diabetes “which I’ve had for years”.

The town division is a two-seater which Cllr Collor won comfortably in 2021 alongside fellow Tory Oliver Richardson.

The seats have traditionally swung between Labour and the Conservatives but the presence of Reform UK may alter the voting dynamic on May 1.

He joined the Conservatives in 1997 when he was still working at the Port of Dover and is recognised as an expert on the issues facing the town from the huge volumes of traffic, particularly freight, coming from both Kent’s motorways.

Cllr Collor, a former senior P&O Ferries staffer, added: “When I am out and about, people have been asking me if I’m standing again because they know I understand the traffic situation in Dover town centre better than most.

“So I’ve got my papers in and I’ll stand as an independent. I’m not the sort of person to let this sort of thing get me down and we’ll see what the people think.

“If I don’t get elected, I shall find something else to do.”

Chairman of Kent Conservatives, Cllr Dylan Jeffrey, says Cllr Collor attended an initial interview and was given the same set of questions as the other potential candidates and was unsuccessful.

When it was established there had been a procedural error, Cllr Collor was granted a second interview but the outcome was the same.

Cllr Jeffrey said: “I can’t tell you the reason (for deselection) because under the rules we don’t give a reason. I don’t know the reason.”

As for Cllr Collor standing as an independent, Cllr Jeffrey said: “Sometimes you get a local member who thinks they have a huge local following but in reality it’s a couple of hundred and they quickly fall by the wayside.”

Dover town’s Conservative candidate will be local businessman, Peter Jull.

Reform UK described Cllr Collor’s decision to stand as an independent as “very interesting”.

A Tory backbencher said the veteran councillor had been “absolutely stuffed” by the Conservatives.

The party has two candidates standing in the division.

A party spokesman said: “Dover and Deal is a key target area for us at this election.”

On Monday during a visit to Kent, Reform leader Nigel Farage said the Kent coast and “15 miles inland” are of interest to his party.