Tory volunteer ‘chased with a sledgehammer’ while delivering election leaflets

‘Nobody should have to face this regardless of party’

Ms Jenkyns has complained of separate incidents that have seen campaign posters defaced (Twitter/@AndreaJenkyns)

A Conservative party campaigner was allegedly chased with a sledgehammer by a man screaming "get out of my street you Tory scum" after putting a leaflet through a voter’s door in west Yorkshire.

The canvasser, believed to be in his late twenties, had been leafleting in the Morley and Outwood constituency of Andrea Jenkyns when he was confronted by an angry member of the public.

After posting a flyer into a letter box, the resident in his fifties rand out and reportedly began to swear at him - calling him a "Tory c**t" and grabbing at the volunteer's hand, sending leaflets flying across the street.

The man then ran back inside to fetch the sledgehammer and chase the Conservative activist away

Describing the incident as "absolutley vile behaviour", Ms Jenkyns told The Independent: "Everyone's a bit shook up to be honest.

"I've got thick skin, I've been in politics now a few years - but you can handle it when it's yourself. When it's your team and when it's volunteers... you become very protective".

However despite the incident the campaigner continued canvassing in the area.

Local councillor Will Grover, who is serving as Andrea’s campaign manager, added: “The activist was understandably shaken, but was determined to carry on, standing up for democracy. Huge respect.”

Ms Jenkyns, who unseated Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls in 2015, said there had been a number of instances of aggressive language and incidents during her campaign - including a 13 year old volunteer who was shouted at in the street for wearing a blue rosette by a member of the public "using the c word".

"I'm really strong" she said "I've put up with abuse on social media - I mean a guy got arrested back in July for threatening to come down to my office and 'rip the b***h's face off'. About a month ago I had people inscribing, on my office walls, graffiti telling me to kill myself.

"But it was never like this when I was fighting Ed Balls in 2015 - and my personal view is it's since Corbyn's become leader. In 2017 it was pretty bad... it started getting bad then but it's nothing like this really".

She added: "When I was fighting against Ed him and I, at the Remembrance Sunday service, shook each others hands, wished each other well and vowed we'd do a grown up campaign and that's what we did.

"Neither of us got personal and I've never got personal with any of my opponents and I think that's the way it should be".

Video footage of the incident has since been handed to police.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire force said: "Police were contacted at about 1pm on Friday November 29, by a male reporting he had been threatened and assaulted while conducting election canvassing in Morley.

"Officers are carrying out initial enquiries into the report and will be speaking further with the victim".