A prominent Liberal Democrat woman from West Watford is considering tearing up her party membership over the Lord Rennard row.

Susan Gaszczak waived her anonymity last week to go public with allegations that the peer sexually harassed her.

The former Watford council candidate demanded an apology from Lord Rennard following the close of an investigation by a barrister into allegations by a number of women in the party against the peer.

The investigation found evidence of inappropriate behaviour by the lord but could not prove beyond "reasonable doubt" he had acted in an indecent way.

Following the report, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has also called on the peer to apologise to the women involved.

However Lord Rennard has maintained he has done nothing wrong and said he intends to take up his seat in the House of Lords.

Today Ms Gaszczak told the Watford Observer that she was minded to resign in light of Lord Rennard’s refusal to apologise.

She said: "I will have to make a decision today or in the next few days as to what I am going to do. I have had a lot of people contact me since I have said I am minded to resign (including my Tory relatives) to say I should stay.

"But I have to make a rational choice."

Ms Gaszczak has been an active campaigner for the Watford Liberal Democrats for a number years and worked on Sal Brinton’s bid to become the town’s MP in 2010.

She also stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Vicarage and Holywell in the 2009 county council elections.

Ms Gaszczak said she wanted a swift end to the Lord Rennard affair as she felt it could be a damaging distraction for the party in the run up to the 2015 General Election.

She also voiced fears it could affect local parties' ability to attract and maintain new members.

She added: "My worry is how much this has upset men and women alike, and whilst we are arguing we are not getting our strong messages out there. Someone needs to negotiate the end of this.

"It will have an effect on party members, and new ones and ones resigning because of this."