NIGEL Farage and the Brexit Party bus rolled through the region for one last time before voters go to the polls in Thursday’s general election.

Mr Farage joined candidate David Bull in the County Durham constituency of Sedgefield this morning (Saturday), when he met three Brexiteer businessmen and made the usual pub pit-stop before heading for more of the same in Wales.

The team toured the factory of Tolley Fabrications, a company specialising in aluminium, stainless steel and super duplex manufacturing, at Tursdale.

Boss Alan Tolley, who set up the business with wife Claire in 2014, said the firm had just missed out on a £2m contract to build wind turbine parts to a German company.

He said: “It would have guaranteed work for 12 guys for a year, as it is we’ve had to lay off five.

“There’s going to be 700 more turbines at Hornsea in the North Sea, why aren’t we awarding the work to companies here? If they need to subcontract some of the work overseas at least they’ll keep the profit.

“It is ludicrous to be giving it away.”

Haulier Colin Grigg, who runs CVM Express Freight in Kelloe, said he is struggling to compete with transport companies from other EU countries.

He said: “Insurance for a wagon in Poland is £600, for me its £4,500. The Common Market isn’t working for us.”

And a construction worker put a skills shortage in the industry down to immigrant workers driving down wages and disincentivising young people from taking up a trade.

Mr Farage said: “No-one is on the side of the entrepreneur.

“It was really interesting to hear from three different industries. There are no discussions about small companies, there are a lot more of them and they employ a lot more people but there is so much emphasis on the likes of Airbus and Nissan.

“There is a disconnect from Westminster politics and the rest of the country.”

At The Railway Crossings pub, in Wingate, the team heard from villagers who want change and greater power for the regions, where deprivation is keenly felt.

Dr Bull said if elected he would be an MP who ‘worked for constituents’ and, as a trained medical doctor, health, welfare and employment are priorities for him.

Asked about seats where Brexit could split the vote, such as nearby Bishop Auckland, Mr Farage said: “There are places, like here in Sedgefield, it is a three-way race.

“There are seats we are competing where Conservatives have become the main challenger and the reason is because old Labour votes, we are getting. The idea we are splitting the vote isn’t accurate, in some ways we are making it easier for them (Conservatives).

"If Labour win the election, we are not leaving in any credible form whatsoever.

“The question with Boris, who I think will win, is going to be whether we are getting some legitimate form of Brexit.”

Mr Farage predicted a low turnout on Thursday, saying postal votes are reportedly down and a poor weather forecast will put some people off voting in person.

He described Friday's televised debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn as ‘very repetitive’, saying: "I just don't think this is a very inspiring campaign."

During the factory, Mr Farage was also asked who out of Mr Johnson or Mr Corbyn he trusted most, to which he laughed and responded: "Do you know something, that's the most difficult question I've been asked.

"I've known Boris on and off for 25 years, and he is a likeable, entertaining personality. Would you absolutely trust him? No.”

He added: "'Get Brexit done' is an attractive line to a country where a lot of people are utterly cheesed off that this has been going on for three-and-a-half years.

"The idea that somebody's going to wave a magic wand is very appealing, and if it was true I would support him 100 per cent.

"But it's not. If he passes the Withdrawal Agreement unamended, we go into three more years of agony. It will be Brexit in name only, but we'll still be stuck with all the European rules and regulations, with no say whatsoever and with a huge bill."

Mr Farage also criticised the four former Brexit Party MEPs who have voiced their support for the Prime Minister's Brexit deal, saying: "They were elected to change politics for good, not to support the same bad old politics."

Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Lance Forman and Lucy Harris all resigned to back Boris Johnson's deal, while John Longworth lost the whip for "repeatedly undermining" the party's election strategy.

Mr Farage said: "They were elected because we were opposed to Mrs May's deal. Boris Johnson's deal isn't very different.

"A lot of people have been promised an awful lot, let's just put it like that."