UKIP’S by-election candidate Graeme Lloyd has been rushed to hospital after falling ill on the campaign trail.

Mr Lloyd, who hopes to represent the St James’s ward, is currently awaiting the results of a scan but was suffering with abdominal pain according to Dudley’s UKIP leader councillor Paul Brothwood.

Cllr Brothwood said: “We started leafleting and canvassing this morning and at about 10.30am I told him he didn’t look very well.

“He said he was getting a pain and then he was sick.

“I said we needed to get him straight to A&E, although he wanted to carry on.

“I’m not sure if it is his appendix – the pain was in that area but we’ll have to wait for the results of the scan.”

Cllr Brothwood said he was unsure if Mr Lloyd, a father-of-two, would be able to attend the count at Dudley Town Hall this evening, but added: “I hope he can as he has put such a lot of work in.”