THERESA May's Brexit deal is "like a surrender document of a nation that has been defeated in war", Nigel Farage told supporters.

The Brexit Party leader was cheered by hundreds of people who attended a rally in the Rainton Meadows Arena, near Houghton-le-Spring, on Saturday, as he recalled how Sunderland was the first city to emphatically declare for Brexit.

He lambasted both the Tory government and the Labour leadership, saying: "It (Brexit) hasn't happened partly because of the dishonest, duplicitous and utterly useless Prime Minister in Theresa May.

"No question, she is the worst Prime Minister in the history of this country, bar none."

He told the rally that Mrs May's deal would be a new EU treaty which may leave the country trapped inside the EU's custom union in perpetuity.

He said: "This treaty that she wants to put through is more like a surrender document of a nation that has been defeated in war."

"She has humiliated our country on the international stage and I've had enough of it. "

Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe was cheered in the packed hall when she ridiculed "those patronising, snooty nincompoops who sit in their dinner parties and say 'poor dears, they didn't know what they were voting for'."

She said: "We knew exactly what we were voting for."

Miss Widdecombe said: "The message of those local elections and the message of these European elections is really simply. Either those at Westminster let Britain leave or we make them leave."

She said: "If they don't take us out of the EU then, come the next general election, the Brexit Party will take over Westminster and take us out of the EU."

Speaking to The Northern Echo Mr Farage said: “There is loads of enthusiasm. There is a lot of anger in the country about what has happened and words such as betrayal now just drip off the tongue from both Labour and Conservative supporters about what has happened.

"What you are seeing here with the Brexit Party is we are turning that anger into something positive. We are about changing politics for good and that means not just getting out of the European Union, but changing British politics.

"Our view is that the two-party system has failed, the parties serve nothing but themselves. We need need fundamental change at every level in our political system."

Several miles away Labour party members, who held a private meeting entitled Love Socialism Hate Brexit, at the Indoor Bowling Club, in Pity Me, Durham, poured scorn on Mr Farage's party and his election campaign.

Speaking after the meeting, North-East MEP Jude Kirton-Darling said: "These elections are not a referendum. Some MPs are trying to turn it into a referendum for their own political gains.

"This is about electing representatives for the region and what we will do in the European Parliament until Brexit is sorted.

"As Labour MEPS we have been pushing forward workers rights, dealing with tax justice questions in relation to multi-nationals and putting forward stronger acts in terms of climate policy.

"Ultimately this about electing people to represent the region."

She added: "It's a two-horse race in the North-East and the choice voters have is to elect Farage's mates, who he's selected and who don't come from the region, or to elect people who have been fighting for the North-East - for jobs, bringing in investment and ensuring there are improved rights.

"This is about values. And what Nigel Farage stands for is more division in this country and pushing an agenda which is about dividing people and enriching himself.

"I mean if Nigel Farage was really serious he wouldn't be standing for the European parliament, he would be standing to be MP in Peterborough, where he could be making a difference in policy in Westminster.

"He is grandstanding and abusing democratic elections in order to further his own career and I think the North-East deserves more than that."