A 50/50 vote was recorded for the question ‘Should Britain leave the EU’ at the first hustings for the Dover and Deal constituency.

Candidates from the main four parities: Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Ukip, attended the questions and answers session at Dover Working Men’s Club in advance of the general election on May 7.

Hustings chairman, former Dover town clerk Mike Webb, said: “I was delighted there was a very good turn out with well over 100 people there.

“The candidates all did very well, it was quite impressive. There was a great response and the people were involved and active.”

He admitted that Charlie Elphicke, as sitting MP, “had the edge”, but each candidate presented themselves well and had a “fair crack of the whip,” he said.

Two polls were put to the audience who voted by a show of hands on whether Britain should leave the EU - a 50/50 split for and against.

The second poll showed up Dover District Council for not doing enough in the past 20 years - especially regarding the delays to the St James’s development.

After about three hours Mr Webb called a halt to give the candidates chance to mix with those who attended.

More hustings will give voters the chance to put questions to election candidates in the coming weeks.

On Friday, March 20 at 10.30am the Parliamentary hopefuls will attend Dover Senior Citizens at St Mary’s Parish Centre, Dover at 10.30am.

The Federation of Small Businesses will host its event in the Chartwell Suite, Dover Marina on Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm followed the next day (Thursday, March 26) with the Christians Together hustings at St Mary’s Parish Centre, Dover, at 7pm.

Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade will hold its hustings at Deal Town Hall. The date and time is yet to be confirmed but it is expected to be in April.