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A Ukip campaigner has been attacked with bleach while out canvassing in Grimsby town centre.

Clive Colam, 71, said he was packing up his display stands after a morning campaigning with the party's parliamentary candidate Mike Hookem when he was attacked in the Riverhead area of the town centre at about 12.50pm today.

Mr Colam, who is the treasurer of the Cleethorpes branch of Ukip, told how he suddenly felt something wet and cold on his back before noticing the smell of bleach.

The grandfather said he rushed to the Barge pub to wash his skin after it became irritable. His clothes were also discoloured following the incident.

Police were called to the scene and took away the damaged clothes as evidence.

Byron Martin, 48, of Wellington Street, spoke of his shock after seeing the aftermath of the attack.

"It's disgusting, especially when there are kids and families walking about. It's not very good at all."

Vicky Mutton, secretary of the Cleethorpes branch of Ukip, who was also out with Mr Hookem on the campaign trail, added: "I just think it is despicable. We don't need to resort to this sort of behaviour.

"He is lucky he didn't get bleach in his eyes otherwise it could have been a lot more serious."

She added: "You could smell it. It was definitely bleach.

"Some of us bring our children along with us. It could have been a lot worse."

The attack comes just five days before the people of North East Lincolnshire head out to the polls for the General Election.

Mr Hookem, who is in the running for the parliamentary seat for Great Grimsby, is up against Labour's Melanie Onn, Conservative Jo Gideon, Liberal Democrats candidate Stephen Beasant and Independent candidate Christina McGilligan-Fell.