A court has heard how Conservative party chiefs were determined to be a spoke in the wheel of Nigel Farage's "Presidential" bid to become MP for Thanet South.

The party's national campaign director at the time Lord Stephen Gilbert told a jury officials were concerned it had the potential to go wrong as the fight became the single focus of rivals Ukip.

Giving evidence in a trial in which South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay is one of three defendants facing charges related to expenses claims, Lord Gilbert said the party was anxious about the damage the campaign could do to its reputation.

He said there was "bad blood" between Mr Mackinlay and his opponent Nigel Farage "which meant that they were going to be quite aggressive".

Pressed on what he meant, he said that he did not mean in a physical sense but in terms of the intensity of the campaign.

He also referred to concerns about the presence of far right groups coming to Thanet during the campaign.

The court was told the Conservative party's campaign team dedicated to taking on Ukip nationally was moved to South Thanet because of the Presidential nature of Ukip's campaign.

"It became clear that the whole Ukip effort was almost entirely going to focus on Nigel Farage," said Lord Gilbert.

"The whole of South Thanet became an absolute circus."

Ukip had adopted a Presidential campaign based around Mr Farage and the Conservatives had realised it needed to shift its campaign to challenge it.

"We wanted to to be a spoke in the wheel of Ukip's campaign," said Lord Gilbert.

"Its strategy was completely different to any other party. It was going to present Nigel Farage as leader."

Asked if the costs of visiting political VIPs were national or local expenditure, he said it was the former.

The court also heard about the controversial battle buses used to transport activists around the country's marginal target seats.

Lord Gilbert, under cross examination, was asked about emails between Conservative party officials showing there had been discussions around using the bus to bring activists to Thanet to help support the candidate Craig Mackinlay.

Mackinlay denies two counts of "knowingly making a false declaration on an election expenses return", contrary to the Representation of the People Act.

Gray denies one count of knowingly using a false instrument "namely in respect of the election expenses return for the long campaign period".

He also denies "knowingly making a false declaration on an election expenses return".

Little denies three counts of "intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence" in relation to the expenses returns.

The trial continues.