By Ben Davies BBC News Online political staff in Brighton

Mr Foster is ace of spades in the pack

A light-hearted attempt to raise cash for a disabled toilet in a Liberal Democrat constituency building may have backfired.

Colchester MP Bob Russell had the idea of having packs of playing cards printed with pictures of all 54 Lib Dem MPs.

He was inspired by the US military, which released a similar pack featuring the most wanted members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party on them - with the deposed Iraqi leader as the ace of spades.

But where Mr Russell's scheme may have gone awry is his own choice for the Lib Dems ace of spades slot - Don Foster, the MP for Bath.

Oh my God! He's the Bath party MP Bob Russell MP

Speaking to BBC News Online, Mr Russell realised the unintended link, saying: "Oh my God! He's the Bath party MP."

Brisk trade

The discovery did not discourage Mr Russell from doing brisk trade in his playing cards outside the front of a Brighton hotel.

It is clear as a fundraising idea it has caught on, with one party member queuing up to buy seven packs of the �6.50 cards.

An ebullient Mr Russell declared his idea a massive success.

He is hoping to sell 1,000 packs to pay for disabled toilets at his Colchester constituency offices.

In the pack, party leader Charles Kennedy features as king of hearts, while the queen of hearts is Sandra Gidley, who snatched Tory safe seat Romsey in the last parliament.