SHOPPING 'DISASTER' FAILS TO DAMPEN OCCOMBE VISIT

When Tory supremo David Cameron did a spot of impromptu shopping at Occombe Farm's shop, he was unexpectedly caught short of cash and had to surrender his South Devon chilli.

Mr Cameron whipped a £10 note out of his pocket on arrival at the educational organic farm in Preston, Paignton, declaring his wife's dinner would be brought there as he's a 'big fan of local food'.But Mrs Cameron was to be disappointed as her high-profile husband could only afford an Occombe Farm shopping bag, goose fat and the farm's own sausages.

After lambasting the government for not doing enough to support British farmers, the Tory leader ran up a bill of £11.47, which included a jar of South Devon chilli chutney he had previously tasted.

When he saw the total he said: "Disaster, I have only got a tenner on me. I will leave the chilli jam."

Turning down offers of a £20 note from prospective parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood, he paid up the new bill of £8.47.

Mr Cameron later rued leaving his wallet and jacket in the car.

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CAMERON: WE'LL BUILD THE BYPASS

Conservative leader David Cameron has lent his support to the campaign for the Kingskerswell bypass.

On his first visit to South Devon, he said the long-awaited and controversial bypass was a way of beating polluting traffic jams and declared a Tory government under his leadership 'could get it done'.During his whistle-stop tour of the region as part of the local election campaign, Mr Cameron, pictured left, gave the Herald Express an exclusive interview at our Barton Hill Road headquarters in Torquay.

The £97million bypass is a project which Mr Cameron says supports the Conservative's green agenda.

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TORY CHIEF GETS TASTE OF TRAFFIC DELAYS

Tory leader David Cameron was today experiencing the Kingskerswell rush.He was to see for himself the traffic delays plaguing Torbay.

The opposition leader was visiting Occombe Organic Farm at Paignton and Babbacombe Cliff Railway.

Marcus Wood, Torbay's prospective Parliamentary candidate, said: "We wanted him to experience Kingskerswell delays the same way we do."

It was a Tory government which originally de-trunked the A380 just as it was reaching the top of the list of Highways Agency projects for funding. They then earmarked it as a local scheme suitable to be built through co-operation with the commercial sector under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Campaigners have been battling since to get it back on top of the priority list.

The party leader is on his first visit to South Devon to campaign in the local elections and support the prospective Parliamentary candidates.

Mr Cameron will also be visiting Newton Abbot in the afternoon to meet local people and Teignbridge council candidates.

At Occombe Farm, run by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, he will talk about the importance of supporting local produce. At Babbacombe he will be meeting volunteers who got the railway running again as well as candidates.

Palm trees and pensioners in Torquay

After a lifetime of seeing politicians and governments come and go, pensioners find their worries have also changed. But what gets them stirred up, if anything?

Torquay - palm trees and pensioners

With a pleasant climate and sea air, Torquay has attracted a lot of white-haired folk who want to enjoy part of the self-styled English Riviera.

The hotels, yachts and fish'n'chip shops on the waterfront show it to be a typical British seaside resort, with numerous residential care homes and retirement apartments dotted further inland.

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