An ex-Labour councillor is at the centre of the storm over the ejection of an elderly activist from the party conference.

Wallace Hobson - known as Wal - was today slammed by political rivals after pictures showed him hoisting frail Walter Wolfgang out of his chair.

The 82-year-old had shouted "nonsense" as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw defended the Government's refusal to withdraw troops from Iraq.

He was forcibly removed from the debating chamber by several burly stewards, including Mr Hobson, the former member for Horsley Hill in South Shields.

Pat Piggot, South Shields Conservative Association secretary, described their actions as "absolutely disgusting".

She added: "If that is Wal Hobson, I think he needs to look at himself, ejecting an old man who was just shouting. It is terrible."

Mr Hobson lost his seat in last year's local elections after moving from Horsley Hill to stand in the Harton ward, where all three previously Labour seats turned Progressive.

Coun Jim Capstick, Progressive member for Harton, said: "I think it is sad that one of our former representatives should be seen by the whole country using these strongarm tactics. It reflects badly on South Shields."

His Labour Party colleagues declined to comment on the furore, although one described him as "nice and gentle" and expressed surprise at his involvement.

South Shields MP David Miliband also declined to comment and Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn was unavailable.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has apologised to Mr Wolfgang, who escaped Nazi Germany in 1937 and is a member of the Stop the War Coalition.

Full story in The Northern Echo tomorrow.

Mr Hobson, now retired, formerly worked as an education and training manager.