ORGANISERS of a pensioners' rally have reacted angrily to claims in a national newspaper that there was a public bust-up between prominent speakers.

An article in the Daily Telegraph claimed Tory MP Alan Duncan left the east Cleveland pensioners' rally, in Redcar in March, "shaken" following a bust-up with the Prime Minister's father-in-law, Tony Booth.

The convention was organised by the newly-established east Cleveland Pensioners' Forum.

Mr Booth was invited to speak alongside Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's leader, Councillor David Walsh, and opposition politicians.

Afterwards, Mr Duncan told the Telegraph: "Booth had been ranting on for ages in his ham actor way about how disgraceful provisions were for pensioners.

"I was allowed a brief stint at the microphone just after him and I said, humourously, given the fact that he had been attacking Blair's policies, 'I know why you're angry. You're just annoyed with yourself for giving your daughter permission to marry that man.'

"He stomped across the stage to try and physically grab me."

But forum secretary Mike Findley described the comments as "cheap and personal".

"Tony Booth didn't rant on for ages," he said. "In fact, he spoke very passionately for 20 minutes on pensioners' issues."

After Mr Duncan's comments, Mr Findley said Mr Booth stood up and said "That's disgraceful", then retook his seat.