Tory councillor who cheated on his wife faces election challenge ... from his own son

But when his son, also called Richard, heard that his father had moved in with his mistress - living in a house just 25 yards away from his parents' former home - it was the final straw.

Richard Clayton jnr, 38, was so incensed at his father's behaviour that he decided to try and oust him from the council seat he has held for the past four years.

He will now stand against his father in the local elections after claiming his father, 65, has behaved immorally.

Mr Clayton junior, a self-employed green energy business advisor, said: 'I was already concerned about my father's behaviour and the decision to cross the road and move in with this woman was the icing on the cake which helped make up my mind to stand.

'He lives opposite to my mother, which is pretty arrogant and hard-faced to say the least.

'I told my father that if he didn't agree to stand down voluntarily because of this I would stand against him as an independent.

'I don't think he believed me at the time, although now he knows I was always serious about it.'

Cllr Clayton, a Conservative who represents Orrell ward on Wigan Borough Council, embarked on an affair with his neighbour, 46-year-old divorcee Lorraine Case, four years ago.

His wife of 38 years, Marjorie, 65, learned about his infidelity 18 months ago.

However, it wasn't until recently that Coun Clayton left his wife and moved in with his mistress, who lives in a stone cottage almost directly opposite his former marital home, in Orrell, near Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Last night Mrs Clayton admitted coping with her husband's betrayal had been 'extremely hard'.

'I've been through a lot emotionally, it's been very hard, especially as they are living opposite,' she told the Daily Mail.

'I had no idea Richard was going to stand against his father, but he is an adult and can do whatever he wants. He is strong willed and has his own issues to deal with.

'I just want it all to go away and die down so I can get on with what I've got left.'

Despite strong local support for his father over the past four years, Mr Clayton junior claimed he had 'many, many friends' in the village and stood a good chance of attracting a 'reasonable' vote.

He accused the local Conservative group, who are taking legal advice about the challenge, of dirty tricks after they asked his mother to try and deter him from standing.

'The Conservative Party have been trying to come up with ways of discrediting me and my electoral campaign,' he said.

'I will be very surprised if they don't put in an objection, but I am not the one who has done anything wrong.

'Getting to my mother and asking her to try and persuade me not to stand is a disgraceful tactic because I am an adult and know my own mind.

'I just don't appreciate that kind of behaviour, it makes me all the more determined to do well in the election.'

The move is likely to cause confusion among voters when they go to the polls on May 1 as both men have the same name and have given the same address for their candidature.

Coun Clayton said he was 'sad and disappointed' that his son decided to stand against him.

'I am saddened that Richard is using the electoral system to settle a family dispute,' Coun Clayton said.

'I believe that my personal life should be separate from my public role as a councillor.

'I am sorry if my actions have hurt other people but I sincerely hope that the people of Orrell will only judge me on my record of service to the local community.

'The correct place to resolve this dispute is behind closed doors within the family and not in the glare of the public during the course of the local election campaign.'