ADVERTISER, MAY 2: In the first of a series of three features political reporter Isabel Field goes out on the campaign trail with North Swindon Conservative candidate Justin Tomlinson

FOUR cars pull into a quiet road in Ash Brake and a group of people get out, then form a huddle on the pavement.

After a hurried conversation the group splits, each member marching towards a different house.

It's a bit like an opening scene from Doctor Who. Anyone who didn't know what was happening would be forgiven for thinking aliens disguised as humans might be invading.

Luckily for Sandstone Road it's just a team of Conservative campaigners led by North Swindon election candidate Justin Tomlinson.

And the instructions given during the pavement huddle were not to recruit anyone found to help fight an intergalactic war. Well, not quite. They were to win votes for a fiercely fought general election.

"If people are not in, put one of each leaflet through the door and make sure they go all the way through the letter box so no-one else can pull them out," Coun Tomlinson tells the group of Conservative Future helpers and fellow councillors.

"And be polite. Even if they are against us don't give anyone an excuse to turn out and vote against us."

After all the build-up it's a disappointment when no one answers the first door Coun Tomlinson approaches at a quick march.

But at the next house which he tells the others he wants to do 'because they are floating voters' he is able to use his work as a councillor for the area to good advantage.

The conversation centres around the campaign to stop KFC opening in Ash Brake, only turning to national politics briefly at the end.

But how did he remember they were floating voters from one meeting about KFC?

"I am rubbish at French and German but go to an estate and I can remember every door and the issues," says Coun Tomlinson, adding that he has been out knocking on doors in North Swindon solidly for the last two years and that he was nominated for the Conservative Party's campaigner of the year award last year.

"It is an old fashioned way of campaigning but we think it is important to go out and talk to people about the issues that matter to them.

"You could argue that it is an inefficient way to canvass but I enjoy it."

After this Coun Tomlinson is disappointed when the next person he meets accuses him of opportunism.

"We only ever see you when there is an election," says Ann Fearn, 57, who asked to meet Coun Tomlinson when another campaigner knocked on her door. She also raises planning issues and the problems she has had with the NHS and Coun Tomlinson's pace changes from the frantic rush from door to door to a patient explanation of his own views mixed with electioneering.

As he leaves after about five minutes of intensive grilling by Mrs Fearn she calls after him 'We are Conservative anyway'.

In this time the others have finished the street so it's back in the cars and on to Capesthorne Drive in Haydon where Coun Tomlinson targets a house he know contains a wavering Labour voter.

Again the focus is on his work as a councillor, such as introducing a free graffiti-cleaning service for residents, and he asks: 'Have I done enough to make you give us a chance?'

This resident acknowledges Coun Tomlinson has been very visible and ends by saying 'I am edging towards you'.

For the second time Coun Tomlinson is sent to a house where an 'undecided' couple with children want to meet him. They raise education, tax and health as issues and seem to be convinced by Coun Tomlinson.

It is the third house where people seem genuinely interested in finding out more about the party's policies surprising when the news is full of tales of political apathy.

The final doors of the evening yield one man who hasn't decided who to vote for but who doesn't want to chat, a no-answer, a man who says there is not a chance he will vote Tory and one who says he always does.

The others have probably covered more houses but Coun Tomlinson, despite a seemingly high success rate, has probably won himself a maximum of five votes during the evening.

That means just 8,100 to go to turn over Labour's majority.

Tomorrow Isabel joins Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Evemy on the campaign trail and on Wednesday she is with Labour's Michael Wills.

Isabel Field