DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott ducked a confrontation with angry farmers in the North-East last night.

The Labour heavyweight was in the region but kept a low profile in the wake of his punch-up with a farm worker in Wales.

Mr Prescott had been expected to visit Prudhoe, in the marginal constituency of Hexham, but he cancelled at the last minute, preferring a private meeting at North Shields Labour Club instead.

Tony Blair defended his embattled Deputy Prime Minister, who had lashed out when two eggs were thrown by farm protestor Craig Evans during a visit to Rhyl.

Mr Blair said: "Of course it would have been better if this incident hadn't happened.

"But it wasn't simply a case of something being thrown at him from a distance. He felt something hit him and he turned round and reacted."

Mr Prescott said: "As I got off the bus, I could see it was a potentially dangerous situation.

"I walked through the crowd, following the police through a very narrow pathway, and suddenly felt a blow to the side of my head - I did not know what it was.

"I responded to defend myself in this melee and I tried to get away as soon as possible from the incident.

"It was a frightening and regrettable incident, which involved two female assistants being knocked to the ground."

But he faced condemnation last night for not going through with an engagement in Hexham, which is held by the Conservatives with a tiny majority of 222.

Sitting Tory MP Peter Atkinson said: "We are sad that he decided to run away because it would have given him an opportunity to listen to the concerns of this large rural constituency."

Richard Dodd, regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said: "People knew he was coming to Prudhoe and they would have ambushed him.

"He doesn't like the countryside or country people and when he baits them, like he does, he should expect them to react."

Mr Dodd, who farms at Belsay near Hexham, had his sheep culled on Wednesday. He claimed: "I think Prescott is running scared and he didn't want any more hassle."

Labour officials were extremely cagey about Mr Prescott's plans and refused to reveal to the Press where he would be visiting.

Hopi Sen, regional party spokesman, said: "He is a very strong campaigner and he is very welcome in the North-East, but campaign itineraries change all the time.

"Prudhoe was only a possible event but he arranges hundreds of possible events."

The solicitor representing the man involved in the fracas described his client's actions as "a peaceful protest which became rather heated".

Rhyl solicitor Gwyn Jones said: "Mr Evans accepts that there was an incident which got out of control and that he has never sought to deny he was the person who threw the egg in pursuit of a peaceful protest which became rather heated."

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, appearing on Challenge the Leader: Question Time Special last night, said: "Last year I wrote a book with a central theme about the need for politicians to reconnect with the people - this isn't quite what I meant.

"You have to have self-control as a politician, but that clearly got out of balance with this incident.