UKIP MEP William Dartmouth dropped in to Dorchester as he hit the campaign trail ahead of next week’s European elections.

With the nation going to the polls on May 22, Mr Dartmouth visited the county town to speak to and gauge the mood of the electorate.

It followed a day when he had spent time in Wareham, Swanage and Christchurch in inclement weather conditions.

Mr Dartmouth joked: “The political conditions were very good but the climatic conditions were a little difficult.”

The MEP’s visit to West Dorset saw him hit the streets of Dorch-ester ahead of a public meeting in Bridport in the evening.

Mr Dartmouth said he could see a noticeable change in the attitude towards his party over recent years.

He said: “If you compare it to five years ago then we have got more interest from the electorate and many more supporters.

“People are very interested in what we have to say.”

Mr Dartmouth, who visited the party’s Dorchester office in South Street, said he felt the mood in Dorset reflected that of the nation.

He said: “I think that people in Dorchester and Dorset are principally concerned with the same things they are in the rest of the country, with the fact we have open borders and the principal thing which I’m going to address is the European Arrest Warrant.”