POLICE are investigating a forged letter from North Devon MP and Armed Forces minister Nick Harvey.

The forgery was sent to a local council purporting to be an objection from the MP to a proposed pet breeding unit.

Barnstaple detectives collected the fake letter from West Devon Borough Council officers at their Tavistock offices.

Mr Harvey said: "This is the first time that I have encountered such a bizarre scam.

"I feel it is only right and proper that I should disclose this to reassure residents that I have not expressed any views on this application, and that I have asked the police to investigate."

The letter was on faked House of Commons note paper and at the bottom was Nick Harvey's forged signature.

It outlined opposition to a proposal by Karen Gregory of Cholwell Pets for a pet breeding unit on land near the Cholwell Equestrian Centre near Okehampton.

Several people have sent written objections to the proposal, saying it will have a damaging effect on the equestrian centre.

The forged letter says Mr Harvey will voice his opposition to the proposal to deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

Addressed to the principle (sic) planning officer, the letter has Mr Harvey supposedly saying: "I am a horse lover and I would object to any plans that would put them in danger from the vile smell and heavy machinery that Cholwell Pets has.

"I am urging to you the council that the pet breeding centre is shut down immediately and the owners prosecuted for what they are planning to do."

The fake letter, and another letter concerning the application, were forwarded to the council from the office of West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox.

A spokesman for Mr Cox said it was sent to the council by mistake and probably got attached to a real letter of opposition in error.

On receiving the apparently genuine letter the council posted it on its planning website until a Barnstaple resident spotted it and contacted Mr Harvey's office.

A spokesman for Mr Harvey said: "Not only was the bogus letter presented in a very amateurish way, the author was also ignorant of two cardinal rules governing any MP's correspondence.

"Firstly, MPs do not interfere in issues in another constituency and secondly they do not comment on individual planning applications.

"I have handed copies of the letter and a written statement to the police and I understand the CID are involved in a forgery investigation."

A Barnstaple CID spokesman said: "We have received the letter and are investigating the matter to see if any criminal offences have occurred."

The planning application has not yet been determined by the council.

● In April about 350 guinea pigs died in a fire at the pet breeding centre at Little Cholwell.

IT'S A FAKE: The forged letter (right).