Alexandria: Police detained 17 members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood on Sunday in northern Egypt, security officials said.

The Muslim Brotherhood was fielding candidates for three vacant parliamentary seats in the area.

Brotherhood members said police blocked their campaign staff and supporters from voting in Alexandria and the Nile Delta province of Kafr Al Shaikh.

"I have been here since the morning. I have documents allowing me to enter (the polling station) but they (police) refused. They are not even letting me vote," said Shokri Nasr, A Brotherhood campaign aide.

The Interior Ministry denied the charges, but witnesses saw police detain two men carrying leaflets promoting a Brotherhood candidate.

The arrests bring to at least 55 the number of Brotherhood members detained over the past four days.