UKIP leader Nigel Farage says the fight for Rochester and Strood at the forthcoming by-election is a political "high noon" for the party.

He was speaking as he visited the constituency today accompanied by its first MP Douglas Carswell.

UKIP stepped up its campaign in a bid to capitalise on its spectacular victory in the Clacton by-election with what was billed as the official opening of its campaign HQ in Rochester High Street.

His appearance alongside Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, the constituency's former MP, was met with cheers from local supporters and others from outside the county who had travelled down for the event.

Mr Farage told KentOnline that the party had momentum and felt Rochester and Strood could deliver its second MP in the form of Mark Reckless.

The result in Clacton had "blown out of the water" the belief that UKIP could not win Parliamentary seats.

"This is a high noon by-election. It is hugely important for us - and it is important for the Conservatives and Labour.

"There is no pretending otherwise - it is a huge event. We have momentum and you can't pick that up or define it and put it on the table.

"The right ingredients are here for us to fight a successful campaign."

Asked if he thought Ukip would win, he said he was "confident" of the party's prospects but took nothing for granted.

He praised Mark Reckless for putting himself up for re-election, saying: "He has put his neck on the line. I admire that bravery."

Mr Carswell underlined the importance of the electoral battle ahead, saying he would do what he could to help Mark Reckless and hinted there may be more defections to come.

"This is certainly pretty big and if we do win it will have huge consequences," he said.

He praised Mr Reckless for his switch and said that it would be counter-productive for the Conservatives to continue with "smears" against him.

"Mark could have sat in the Commons and could have muddled along until the general election.

"It took extraordinary courage to say 'I am going to quit the party where I have a safe seat and offer myself t othe local people to decide."

He added: "There will be a huge number of undecided voters; every time a politician comes up and smears Mark Reckless, that will play very badly."

"This is a high noon by-election. It is hugely important for us - and it is important for the Conservatives and Labour" - Nigel Farage

Mr Reckless underlined that he was focusing his campaign largely around local issues and defended his opposition to the controversial plans for 5,000 homes at Lodge Hill, having previously indicated his backing for it.

Asked about his switch, he said: "I have always said that I wanted it to be decided by our local community and was not keen on quangos coming in and making the decision.

"What we have seen since then is all six of the local councillors who might have been supporting it previously have come out very strongly against on behalf of their local communities."

He added that the designation of the site as one of Special Scientific Interest had come after a debate in the Commons where he had signalled his support for the development.