Ukip leader Nigel Farage's visit to Herne Bay was cancelled this morning after fears about his security were raised.

Mr Farage was due to open the party's campaign office in Mortimer Street at 9am but due to the town's weekly market being held, his security team thought better of it.

The planned visit was also met by protesters as Prophet Zebadiah Abu Obadiah - a member of the Al-Zebabist Nation of OOOG - expressed his anti-Ukip views outside the office.

The party’s constituency campaign manager John Moore said: "He's not coming - his security team will not let him because they can't get the car up to the door of the shop because of the market.

"It's a security issue and if we could have got the car to the front door or had a rear entrance they would have done it.

"He was quite happy to come until his team rang me and checked to see what the arrangements were.

"Apparently protesters are due and they will be as disappointed as everybody else that he is not here."

Protesters did arrive after the shop was officially opened by Ukip's North Thanet candidate Piers Wauchope, who is vying to become the town’s MP.

Prophet Zebadiah, a member of the Al-Zebabist Nation of OOOG, is standing in South Thanet against Mr Farage and used a megaphone to express his anti-Ukip views outside the shop.

He said: "England is doomed - it is a doomed nation with Ukip. We came down here today to show that Ukip is not welcome here.

"We heard he (Mr Farage) would be here, he's been trying to avoid us as we want a debate with him."

Ukip campaign manager Mr Moore added: "We will work on getting him (Mr Farage) back here at some point.

"It's one of those things - if the stalls weren't here, it would have happened."