CONSERVATIVE candidate for South Swindon, Robert Buckland, was joined by a special guest on Saturday as he hit the streets of Old Town for another day of election campaigning.

Intrepid explore Sir David Hempleman-Adams took a break from his daring adventures to hit the campaign trail alongside Conservative Party volunteers.

Talking to Swindon 105.5's Dave Woods, Sir David explained why he had decided to back Mr Buckland’s campaign, the first time he had ever been moved to get out and knock on doors during election season.

“I’m a Swindon boy,” he said. “I was born here and I’ve still got family and property here.

“I’ve seen, over the years, lots of change with the town and lots of different MPs along the way.

“I wanted to support Robert because he has been such a good MP and I think his ideas, the Conservatives’ ideas, are the way forward for the future.

“I think he encompasses that very well and that’s why I’m willing to walk the streets for him.”

A barrister and part time judge before first being elected to parliament in 2010, Mr Buckland saw his majority increase to more than 5,700 - or 11.7 per cent - at the last election.

Sir David said he thought that previous life experience had a big role to play in gauging suitability for holding political office.

“What I think is very important is that Robert has had a proper job before,” he said.

“He’s not always been a full time professional politician straight out of school or college.

“For me it’s very satisfying to have him in a government coming up with policies we know that can work rather than the rhetoric that comes out of some people but which we know is hard to achieve.

“I think he’s a good safe pair of hands, a bright star for the future, and hopefully he will get his old job back.”

It was a weekend of familiar and famous faces on the campaign trail for the two major parties in the South Swindon race.

Labour’s Sarah Church was joined by one of Mr Buckland’s predecessors in parliament, former MP Julia Drown, who represented South Swindon from 1997 until 2005.

Like Mr Buckland, Mrs Church had a very different career before deciding to stand for election. She was an Officer in the Royal Signals. She left the Army in 2015 as a Major following 13 years’ service.

Elsewhere in South Swindon, UKIP candidate Martin Costello was out in the centre of town alongside a group campaigning against increased private sector involvement in the NHS.

He was talking to voters about the increase in waiting times, a growing strain on staff and resources and what he said was the importance of keeping our NHS free from privatisation.