PRIME Minister David Cameron relaxed with a cup of tea in Stratton after his manifesto announcement to the Conservative Party faithful and media this morning.

Mr Cameron and wife Samantha called on Paul Pearson and Nicole Calver, who run the Dockle Farmhouse in Bridge End Road, and bought their house in Sanders Close through the Government's Help to Buy scheme in 2013.

The Pearsons, came to live in Swindon from Plymouth and Norwich, when they took over the pub eight years ago, and Mr Cameron joked that the town provided a half-way point for their families.

Afterwards Mr Pearson, 36, said: "We had a call last night saying that the Prime Minister wanted to visit - it's not the kind of thing you turn down.

"He comes across well on the television and he was quite easy to speak to. They both seemed very relaxed."

The couple know North Swindon Conservative candidate Justin Tomlinson, who has meetings at the pub, and that led to the Prime Minister calling in today.

Then the Camerons went across the road to chat to Chris and Caroline Matthews, who live in Sanders Close, with Samantha paying particular attention to six-year-old Hope, who has a mitochondrial disease.

The Camerons' severely disabled son Ivan died in 2009 and mum Caroline, who is a full-time carer for Hope, said: "Although the conditions are different we've seen some of the same consultants and been to the same hospitals as them, so we chatted about that."

The couple only came out of their home when they saw police in the street and wondered what was going on.

Chris, a Honda worker, said: "We were going to vote for him anyway and it's nice when people live up to expections when you actually meet them."