CONSERVATIVE Mark Formosa has temporarily pulled out of General Election campaign in Taunton after his mother was rushed to hospital.

Mr Formosa is spending time at his critically ill mother's bedside in Cornwall.

A Tory spokesman said: "Given the uncertainty of his mother's condition, Mark Formosa will not be able to resume campaigning in the foreseeable future, but hopes to be present again before the May 6 polling day.

Mr Formosa was unable to welcome former Conservative Cabinet Minister Francis Maude to the constituency last week.

Mr Maude said: "I was very impressed with the way everybody is rallying round to help Mark Formosa at this difficult personal time.

"I am pleased that Mark's campaign is being carried on in his absence by the hundreds of volunteers who support him."

Mr Formosa's campaign team spokesman John Thorne said: "His mother is the only close family he has and he is therefore very close to her.

"She has been seriously ill for some months and Mark has been driving the 240-mile round trip to see her in hospital on most evenings and has been trying to balance this with his campaigning activities, his three weekly surgeries, and all the other work he does for local people.

"However, earlier this week his mother's condition deteriorated rapidly and she was moved into the intensive therapy unit and Mark has been advised that he should not be far from her.

"Given the nature of the consultants' advice Mark has received about his mother's condition and her treatment, he is, quite naturally, emotionally devastated and is in no shape to continue meeting people and talking about other issues for the moment.

"We do not know how long this is going to take, but locally the task of getting Mark elected as MP will continue in his absence.

"We hope that everybody will understand if Mark is not able to get around Taunton Deane to meet them."

*The other candidates in the election are Jeremy Browne (LibDem), whi is seeking re-election; Martin Jevon (Lab); and Tony McIntyre (UKIP).