Damaged UKIP battle bus postpones Clacton visit Published duration 19 May 2017

image copyright Getty Images image caption UKIP said campaign events in Essex would be rescheduled

UKIP leader, Paul Nuttall has postponed a day of campaigning after the party battle bus was damaged.

Mr Nuttall was due to join party activists in Clacton, where UKIP had its only MP elected , on Friday.

But the party's purple battle bus had a wing mirror knocked off overnight and needed to be repaired.

UKIP general election candidate, Paul Oakley, said the bus was "mysteriously damaged" but a party spokesman said it had been accidentally hit by a lorry.

The spokesman said: "A lorry drove a bit too close on its way out early this morning or late last night and just knocked the wing mirror off.

"It's one of those rogue accidents you can't do anything about."

"There is nothing to suggest the wing mirror was knocked off on purpose."

But, writing on Twitter , Paul Oakley, the UKIP general election candidate for Clacton, seemed to suggest that the bus damage might not have been accidental.

He said: "Now hear this! The UKIP battle bus has been mysteriously damaged overnight so will now be in Clacton at the weekend and not today."

image copyright UKIP image caption Barrister Paul Oakley was parachuted in to contest the Clacton seat despite losing to Jeff Bray in a vote by UKIP's local party

Douglas Carswell had been UKIP's only MP until he quit the party and later announced he would not stand for re-election.

Clayton-based councillor Jeff Bray was picked as the town's UKIP candidate over national executive committee member Paul Oakley by three votes.

However, the party's ruling committee later changed its mind , announcing that London-based Mr Oakley will be its candidate.