MICHAEL Howard hit the city streets with gusto, meeting refuse collectors, talking to shoppers and delivering a speech in front of the Elgar statue.

He told voters his party would work hard to wrest powers back from the European Union, after taking a walk through the city centre, beginning at the Cornmarket.

"We think there are many things the European Union does that it doesn't need to do at all," he told party supporters.

"That's why we say 'let's look at these things again, let's transfer powers back from the EU to Britain."

But the bemused look on most people's faces said it all. "Who is that?"

In fairness, it is not often, even during this state of election "fever", that you see the leader of the opposition wandering around The Shambles.

"Hello! How are you?" he asked, before thrusting a hand at unwitting shoppers.

Anyone who managed to avoid the scrum of media types and acolytes missed out on a handshake and wandered serenely past, unaware of the fuss or who the VIP was.

Moving on to more fertile ground, Mr Howard leapt with vigour on to his purpose-built soapbox at the top of the High Street and started

rallying the massed ranks of Conservative troops.

"I want to talk about Europe," he began.

The groan wasn't quite audible from passers-by but at least that gambit was enough to answer the "who's he?" query.