Jonathan Arnott has quit the race to be leader of UKIP.

The Christian MEP for the North East of England said he was withdrawing because the best he could hope for was second place. The 35-year-old's resignation means there are five candidates left in the fight to replace Nigel Farage.

Arnott said: "There is no prize for a silver medal in a leadership contest".

Announcing his withdrawal he added: "We are in the process of electing a new leader of the UK's third political party.

"This should not be taken lightly, and the only reason for standing is for a candidate to believe that they can meaningfully aim to win the ballot."

The Christian candidate's campaign started well when Paul Nuttall, UKIP's deputy chair, backed him shortly after its launch. But Arnott has struggled to gather momentum and said he wished the next leader well without deciding who to support.

His campaign had been about party unity and internal reform, he said, adding UKIP must become a grown-up unit capable of taking on the big issues.

"I want to see a UKIP which isn't frightened to talk about the economy, a UKIP which will discuss the future of our NHS, a UKIP which champions excellence in education which goes far beyond grammar schools, a UKIP which has at its core a belief in people power and direct democracy, and a UKIP which will declare war on the crime which blights so many working-class communities.

"I want to see a UKIP which is more professional in taking the fight to our opposition in the target seats."

The five remaining candidates are Bill Etheridge and Diane James, both MEPs, as well as councillor Lisa Duffy and activists Phillip Broughton and Elizabeth Jones.

James is considered the favourite but is yet to formerly launch her campaign and her rivals have said this is because she is on holiday.