Millionaire Ukip donor Arron Banks plans to campaign using a pirate radio station operating from a former fishing trawler off the Clacton coast if he selected as the party’s General Election candidate.

Mr Banks is hoping to be approved as the candidate on Wednesday.

It is understood he has also taken a lease on former MP Douglas Carswell’s premises to be his campaign offices.

According to reports in a national newspaper, Andy Wigmore, a close pal and former DJ, said Mr Banks use a trawler which was donated by pro-Leave supporting fishermen and could start broadcasting within weeks.

According to the report, Mr Wigmore said: “It will not be Ukip FM.

"We are launching a pirate radio station for the election because Clacton is famous for its pirate radios.”

He added: “We have a whole cast of DJs who will be broadcasting throughout the election from our pirate radio ship.”

The “cast” is thought to include Mr Wigmore himself, Mike Read, the former Radio 1 DJ, and Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader who now hosts a nightly LBC talk show.

It is unclear whether the station would be allowed under UK election law.

Ukip is yet to select a parliamentary candidate for Clacton.

Former MP Douglas Carswell quit the party March and is not contesting.