A NORTH Shropshire politician fears his campaign has been “damaged” after claims hundreds of campaign leaflets failed to reach people.

Conservative candidate Owen Paterson is concerned that not all homes in North Shropshire have received the two party leaflets that were sent out on his behalf.

Each candidate is allowed to send out two campaign leaflets to their constituents before the election, but Mr Paterson has been made aware that some never arrived.

He claims Maesbury Marsh, Weston Rhyn, Dudleston, Bagley and Loppington are among the areas that the leaflets failed to reach.

“The first one we sent out two weeks ago was envelope shaped and we know categorically that some of these haven’t arrived,” he explained. 

“The second was folded differently and this seems to have gone better. But the main worry is that some people haven’t received anything and we don’t understand why.”

He added: “I spoke to a gentleman in Llanymynech just the other day and he told me that he and his wife weren’t going to vote for me because they’d not received anything from me. People are feeling cross and it’s incredibly damaging. I don’t want people to think I’m feeling complacent and taking advantage. It’s completely erratic and I just don’t understand it.”

Mr Paterson’s agent, Nick Bardsley said the Royal Mail will be conducting a thorough investigation into the whereabouts of the leaflets and agreed it could have a detrimental impact on the campaign.