Tory donors have ploughed five times as much money into Leicestershire ahead of next month's General Election compared to Labour rivals.

Major donors have bankrolled Conservatives in the county to the tune of £150,000 over the past five years, while Labour received just £30,000.

Conservative backers funding constituency parties in Leicestershire include the controversial Lord Ashcroft, the son of a local farmer who trained the 1982 Grand National winner and a successful City trader.

In the key North West Leicestershire marginal, Tories received donations of £69,000 since the last General Election, while Labour have received just £7,500.

Conservative candidate Andrew Bridgen said big funding was the only way to compete with Labour.

He said: "Conservatives have to compete with Labour's incumbency, who have a huge advantage with a £10,000 taxpayer-funded communication allowance and about £90,000 for paid staff and offices."

Labour candidate Ross Willmott said: "The financing of politics needs to be changed, because we're heading towards the situation where people try to win elections by outspending the other side."

The biggest donor to any county seat is City finance manager James Tyler.

He gave £30,000 to the North West Leicestershire Tory party in 2008, and is the largest individual donor nationally to constituencies after Lord Ashcroft.

He used his Bearwood Corporate Services firm to donate £2,022 to Loughborough constituency Tory party in 2006.

Frank Gilman, whose father, Frank, trained 1982 Grand National winner, Grittar, donated £4,750 to the Rutland and Melton Conservative Party on three occasions. He said: "I thought that it was only donations over £5,000 which were made public. But yes, I have given financial backing to the Conservatives in a personal capacity."

Another local donor is the Biz Club, established to "promote the interests of small and medium-sized businesses with decision makers and people in power".

It has donated £6,500 to the Rutland and Melton Tory party, where Alan Duncan has a 12,000 majority.

The club said: "The Biz Club is self funding, and may donate money from surpluses to political organisations. Most members support the Conservative party."

The majority of Labour donations came from the Co-operative Party, as well as unions such as Unison and the GMB.

The Liberal Democrats received £9,780 over the same period. Their largest donor was county councillor Michael Griffiths, who donated £5,000 to Harborough Liberal Democrat constituency party.

The figures were collated by the Mercury based on declared donations on the Electoral Commission website.

Any donation of £500 or more must be declared by parties.The figures are the most recent available.