AHEAD of the hustings in Tenbury on Sunday, candidates hoping to become the next MP for West Worcestershire have been canvassing in the town.

Liberal Democrat hopeful Richard Burt has been out and about in Tenbury town centre.

“ The atmosphere in Tenbury on Saturday after the leaders’ debate was electric.

Nick Clegg has blown the lid off British politics and given people a real alternative to vote for,” said Mr Burt.

“I have been out with my team canvassing in the town last Tuesday and Saturday. We’ve had a great reception on the doorstep and picked up lots more poster sites. The town Square has been dubbed ‘Lib Dem Square’ by some locals.”

Meanwhile, shadow agriculture spokesman Jim Paice has been in the area in support of the fight by the Conser vative’s Harriett Baldwin to retain the seat for the party.

“Our rural communities have endured 13 years of being treated as second class citizens,” said Mrs Baldwin. “Over the last four years living in the local area, I have battled for adequate flood defences, to improve the deal for farmers and fight for a fair deal for our schools.

“I have also been meeting businesses in Tenbury and the Teme Valley to register their protests against the threatened hike in National Insurance, which will punish local employers and halt the economic recovery.”

Other candidates standing include Malcolm Victory for the Greens and Caroline Bovey for the United Kingdom Independence Party. However, on Tuesday it was announced that the attempt by David Simones- Jones to stand as an independent anti-sleaze candidate had been ruled out by the returning officer due to an invalid application.

The Labour message from candidate Penny Barber was of the risk to the economic recovery of a change of Government.