FORMER parliamentary candidate for UKIP in Swindon, Martin Costello has been cleared by the party and can return to campaigning.

Mr Costello was suspended along with two other members after pictures and video emerged showing he was with a group that visited the Bookmarks bookshop in London at the start of the month.

Staff at the shop reported being “invaded by a masked gang” and the Metropolitan Police were called and investigated.

Mr Costello has always denied he was involved in any aggressive or intimidatory behaviour at the shop and his party has now cleared him to return to being an activist after an investigatory panel has cleared him, according to an email from UKIP South West chairman Richard Ford

Mr Costello, who stood as UKIP's Candidate for South Swindon in the 2017 General Election said: "I am absolutely delighted that after a short period of suspension and a full investigation by the party my membership has been reinstated and I have been exonerated.

“The party has confirmed that no offence was committed by myself, and I am therefore happy to resume my work in Swindon campaigning as a member in good standing.

“We now need to focus on providing a real alternative to voters in Swindon away from the tired Conservative/Labour duopoly, and to ensuring that the mandate for Brexit from the EU Referendum in 2016 is fully implemented."

Two other members of the party, Elizabeth Jones and Luke Nash-Jones were also suspended by UKIP after reports of the incident hit the headlines.

Elizabeth Jones was reported to have ben reinstated by the party very quickly after it found ‘no evidence’ she was involved.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made after the incident.