OUR Lady of Lourdes Church Hall in Haslemere was the venue last Saturday night for a meeting of the South West Surrey Conservative Association with special guest Ann Widdecombe.

Miss Widdecombe took the opportunity to talk to local Conservatives on a range of issues.

She also highlighted what she described as "the government's total failure" on law and order.

Miss Widdecombe said: "Although this area of the country does not traditionally have high crime rates, the fear of crime is very real for people in communities across the country."

She added: "We are being badly let down by this government. Our asylum system is in total chaos, police morale is at its lowest and the fear of crime, particularly among the elderly, has never been higher.

"As with all the other promises to improve public services, this government has totally failed the British people."

Joining Miss Widdecombe at Saturday night's dinner were MP for South West Surrey Virginia Bottomley and Waverley councillor Ann Mugford and Surrey county councillor Christine Stevens.