Justice secretary Elizabeth Truss has insisted marshalling Tory troops from across the county to try to unseat Norman Lamb is not a sign the party is complacent about winning in other seats.

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With UKIP not standing in North Norfolk and the Liberal Democrat's majority whittled down to just over 4,000 two years ago, the Conservatives have targeted the former health minister's seat.

On Saturday more than 20 Conservatives from Mid Norfolk, including constituency MP George Freeman, who has a majority of more than 17,000, travelled to Holt to support the campaign of James Wild, Conservative candidate for north Norfolk.

And yesterday, Ms Truss was out campaigning with Mr Wild in North Walsham.

When asked if the time being spent by Conservatives in north Norfolk suggested a complacency over other seats, Ms Truss, said: 'Absolutely not. Our team in South West Norfolk has been campaigning every day.'

Ms Truss, who has a majority of 14,000 in South West Norfolk, said: 'We have been in Thetford, Wiggenhall St Germans, Harleston, Garboldisham and other places and we will be out on the streets every day of the week.'

But, explaining why the Conservatives are throwing so much at north Norfolk, Ms Truss said: 'It is in all our interests to have a strong Conservative team.

'For instance, in Narborough in my constituency, people are desperate for the A47 to be upgraded and I know I will have a better chance to get that done if we have got Conservative colleagues backing us up.

'I want James Wild and Lana Hempsall [Norwich South candidate] on the team and that's why we are supporting them.

'But we are not complacent and we are all out campaigning all day and all evening to bring people to the Conservative cause.

'The feedback has been very good on the doorstep but there is more to do.

'But it's in the interests of all of Norfolk to have a team to work together.'

Mr Lamb said: 'I fully understand that the Conservatives are gunning for me,

'I understand they are spending a fortune nationally to try to get rid of me, but locally I have Tories saying to me: 'We will vote for you because we don't want to lose you as our local MP.''

Labour's Stephen Burke is also standing in North Norfolk.