A COUNCILLOR arrested in connection with a fraud inquiry involving Blues chairman Ron Martin says he is "living in a nightmare".

Sean Connors, 46, a Gloucestershire county councillor, was arrested when around 15 police officers raided his home in Brockworth last Thursday as part of a national investigation.

Mr Connors, a former Tewkesbury borough councillor, said his children were "very upset" after police seized their mobile phones as part of the investigation.

Police also raided Southend United boss Ron Martin's Benfleet home and his offices at Roots Hall, as well as two other sites in Leicester and Warwickshire.

Mr Martin's development company, Martin Dawn, is one of the developers looking to build 360 homes in Leckhampton Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Mr Connors was arrested on suspicion of corruption and money laundering, matters which are believed to be related to his position on Tewkesbury Borough Council's planning committee.

He denies any involvement in illegal activities. Mr Connors said: "I have no idea what is going on at all. I am living in a nightmare at the moment.

"I am no criminal mastermind. I don't have thousands of pounds stashed away, I don't have Swiss bank accounts, I don't have yachts and I don't have mistresses. I am just a normal family man living in a three-bedroom council house. My family, especially my three children, are very upset over this and they can't understand what is going on."

Mr Martin also played down the police raids in an exclusive Echo interview yesterday. He insisted he had done nothing wrong and had co-operated fully with police.