DROMORE has a new claim to fame.

Thanks to the upcoming Westminster election, it can now boast an excessive 24 election posters all at the one roundabout.

Twenty-two of these are shared between the current Sinn Fein MP for the area, Pat Doherty, and the SDLP candidate for West Tyrone, Daniel McCrossan.

The remaining two posters belong to the DUP’s candidate, Tom Buchanan.

The Impartial Reporter contacted both Sinn Fein and the SDLP yesterday (Wednesday) to ask why there was a need for such a large number of posters at the one roundabout.

A Sinn Fein representative responded saying someone in the Dromore area had been sent out to count the number of election posters specifically relating to Mr. Doherty.

Their count was seven.

According to the party representative, this was not an excessive amount for a roundabout with four access routes.

Mr. McCrossan meanwhile put the high saturation of posters down to an “energetic and enthusiastic” party campaign.

“We are offering a young, fresh face on to the platform,” he told the Impartial Reporter, “The only way to promote that is by handling an aggressive marketing electoral campaign.” His party colleague in Omagh, Declan Donaghy, said the particular roundabout in question was a “gateway” from Omagh to Enniskillen, Trillick and Irvinestown, and vice versa.

“There would be a substantial amount of traffic on that small roundabout throughout the day,” he said. “I did not put up said posters, but I am aware there is a substantial amount of posters around that roundabout.

“I would also like to reiterate that as soon as the election is over we will be extremely swift in taking down our posters, so they are not distractions or hazzards to motorists. There is quite a swift plan in place to take down every single poster so they are not an eye sore or a danger to anybody.

“We have a young, fresh candidate and we have to put that message across.

“The party is attracting new blood -- we have John Coyle standing in Fermanagh and South Tyrone too. This is the next generation of the SDLP and we need to get that message across.

“I have been through Dromore a couple of times and every time I have been through it over the last three to four weeks I have noticed the number of posters around has increased.

“When it comes to postering, it is not a case that the more posters you have up the more votes you will get -- it would be great if it was!

“I don’t think there are any plans to put more up there -- I would be deeply disappointed if we did. It’s fairly saturated, but we are very keen to take them down as quickly as possible,” he added.