A CABINET minister joined a Conservative candidate on a visit to a County Durham science park this week.

Dehenna Davison, Conservative candidate for Sedgefield, welcomed Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon to Filtronic, at Sedgefield’s Netpark.

The high tech company specialises in wireless and broadband component design and manufacture and was this month expected to begin work on a £13m national security deal to supply high-frequency modules to a defence equipment maker for aerospace work.

Mr Fallon, a former MP for Darlington, gave Miss Davison his backing and said he believed people across the Tees Valley would vote for the Tories in next week’s General Election.

Miss Davison said: “In line with the Prime Minister’s ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to do business online, it is important we continue to support companies like Filtronic to enable us to keep up to date with the latest demands on data usage and transfer.”