A Labour Party election candidate was covered in silly string while campaigning in Basildon town centre.

Gavin Callaghan, who will contest the Basildon and Billericay seat next month, was canvassing yesterday when he was approached by two men claiming to be from the far-right South East Alliance group.

A video of the incident, filmed by the perpetrators, was later uploaded online.

Mr Callaghan responded to the incident on Twitter: