STAND up and be counted - these are the words of a group of students from Priestley College who have shared their views on the all-important youth vote.

With the General Election just weeks away, the parliamentary candidates for Warrington South visited the college on Loushers Lane to be quizzed by students on a range of different policies and politics.

But following the political showdown between candidates, students have spoken out to urge all first-time voters to not miss out on the opportunity to have their say at the ballot box.

Politics student Suzie Mahoney, from Callands, has called for all young voters to use their vote wisely and, most importantly, not to waste it.

The 17-year-old, who believes that the voting age should be lowered to 16, will narrowly miss out on being eligible to vote.

She said:"I do not have the right to vote but many do and they won't use it.

"I believe by making political education compulsory, it would help to give young people the knowledge to make a well-rounded decision."

Nineteen-year-old Duncan Cathie, who is currently studying law, politics and geography, added: "One of the reasons you should vote is because many people have given up a lot of things and have risked their lives to get the right to vote.

"Also, as a young person, we are not listened to enough by politicians and their parties.

"The only way we are going to get these parties to listen to us is to vote so that we can show that we are a big block of people who should be listened to."

But while many of the students interviewed agreed that getting your head around the political landscape can be difficult, they pointed out that there are a range of sources of information out there to help voters make a decision before they reach the polling stations.

Reece Moore will turn 18 in April - just in time to be able to vote.

The 17-year-old added: "Many don't have an interest or are disillusioned with politics and feel that it ignores them.