The DUP has said that one of its candidates in the local government elections has received a death threat.

The party said Darren Leighton, a candidate for Belfast City Council in the May 18 poll, was informed of the threat by the PSNI.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson condemned the threat as “thuggery”.

“Threats and intimidation should never be part of our political process. It can never be justified and I know there will be opposition from across the community to such thuggery,” he said.

“Darren is a young man seeking to represent the community in which he lives and has already made a valuable contribution to. I know he will not be deterred by this threat and will continue making a positive impact in this campaign.

“There can be no ‘no go areas’ in Northern Ireland.

“He has the full support of everyone in the DUP at this time and I know that those behind this threat do not represent the vast majority of people of the Botanic area or anywhere else in Northern Ireland.”

The PSNI has been approached for comment.