Broadland is not 'flooded' with people born outside of the UK, a Conservative parliamentary candidate has claimed.

Keith Simpson, who is standing for re-election in Broadland, hit-back at the UK Independence Party's view that there are too many people from Europe and further field living in the area.

Speaking at the Campaign to Protect Rural England's hustings in Horsford village hall tonight, Mr Simpson said 0.8pc of people living in the consistency were born in Europe and 2pc worldwide.

He was among five of Broadland's prospective parliamentary candidates answering questions about issues affecting the countryside.

Chaired by Erica Popplewell, head of government and rural affairs at the CPRE, affordable housing, the National Distributor Road (NDR) air pollution, farmland and wind farms were discussed.

Answering a question on the future of the Broadland area, Mr Simpson said: 'We are not exactly flooded out here, but other parts of the country, I would agree.'

Chris Jones (Labour), Steve Riley (Liberal Democrat), Andrew Boswell (Green) and Stuart Agnew (UK Independence Party) joined him.

The NDR and the rate of development was a re-occurring theme during the evening.

Mr Agnew said his party would call for a referendum if the NDR, a route stretching from Attlebridge to the A47 at Postwick, is rejected in June.

While Mr Riley said he was not in favour of the road and reminded people he had voted against connecting housing developments.