NEWPORT'S Tory candidates were on the election trail yesterday, highlighting one of the city's hottest issues.

Matthew Collings, who is standing for the east side, and Bill Morgan, hoping to claim the Newport West seat from Paul Flynn, went to meet meals on wheels recipients.

Since it was revealed that the council was proposing to axe the meals, which are delivered by WRVS volunteers, there has been a storm of protest. The decision is currently under review.

Some people might consider that the decision by Mr Collings and Mr Morgan to make it an issue in the run-up to a general election was just a case of jumping on a popular bandwagon. Mr Flynn dismissed it as a "cheap, cynical stunt".

But volunteers Maggie Matthews and Diane Davies believed that any way of drawing attention to the situation was a good thing.

"Even if we are being used then I approve of being used," said a determined Mrs Davies. "At least they are showing interest," agreed Mrs Matthews.

Accompanied by shadow Welsh secretary Bill Wiggin, the party first visited 66-year-old double amputee Derek Talbot.

He told the candidates how he relied on his meals and hoped they could stop the service from being axed. "It's all wrong especially for the ones who are worse off than me."

They then moved on to Trinity Methodist Church in Glasllwch, where the luncheon club, which meets every Thursday, were waiting for their meals to be delivered.

Afterwards Mr Collings said their visit could not have been "more worthwhile".

"We have to keep the pressure up to make sure the right decision is taken in July."

Bill Morgan, a councillor on the city council, said he had spoken vehemently against the council's proposal and was hopeful the service would be saved.

But Mr Flynn said the issue had nothing to do with the parliamentary elections. "The result of these reforms will be that more elderly people will be having meals of higher quality on more days a week, which they can enjoy at a time of their choosing."

The Liberal Democrats have also called for the service to be maintained and propose alternative methods of funding it. Ed Townsend, who is standing for the Lib Dems in Newport East, said: "The way in which the council is paring back bits of their services here and there is not the way to run an authority."

The other general election candidates include: Jessica Morden (Lab), Mohammed Asghar (Plaid) in Newport East; and Nigel Flanagan (Lib Dem), Tony Salkeld (Plaid), and Hugh Moelwyn-Hughes (UKIP), Peter Varley (Green).