MORE than 200 people crowded into the hall at Ludlow School to hear the five general election candidates pit themselves against each other.

The event had been organised by the Churches Together Around Ludlow group.

Candidates gave their response to the combined Churches report about the pressures facing Ludlow and the surrounding area.

They also faced a series of questions taken from the audience.

Dominating the event were concerns about the National Health Service and in particular the ‘Future Fit’ programme that will shape how health provision will be provided in the future.

Both Conservative candidate Philip Dunne and Liberal Democrat Charlotte Barnes found themselves defending the actions of the coalition Government.

Defending her party’s support for Government welfare reforms Charlotte Barnes said that there were lessons to learn.

“Polices such as the bedroom tax that can work in urban areas do not work in rural areas,” she said.

David Kelly from UKIP, a former teacher, called for better education and said that the biggest problem facing front line teachers was disruptive and poor behaviour.

Labour candidate Simon Slater said that the Conservative and Liberal Democrat government had made the mistake of simply trying to cut their way out of recession and that it had not been effective - although Philip Dunne claimed that the Government's economic plan was working.

Janet Philips, for The Green Party, was scathing about economic policy and said that a new approach is needed.

“Austerity is a political project that hits the most vulnerable hardest including women, children and the disabled,” she said.