A POOLE vicar is said to be praying that Robert Syms will change his mind and attend hustings in the town.

The Conservative parliamentary candidate is the only one of six standing for election in Poole who has declined to attend the four events in the town - one at Parkstone Baptist Church has been cancelled - held between April 28 and May 6.

And he has not responded to requests from the Daily Echo to explain why.

Organised by Churches Together in Poole, three similar hustings events are also being held in the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency, which all five candidates have pledged to support, including Conservative Michael Tomlinson.

"I have written twice to try and persuade him to come. So all we are doing at present is praying he will change his mind," said the Poole vicar.

However he may be there in effigy as UKIP has a life size wooden cut out with Robert Syms face on, which may be making an appearance.

"It is a proper professional hustings," said Bob Lister, council election candidate and agent for Ukip candidate David Young. "We don't want to abuse the hospitality of the people who are holding it. If we are allowed to take it, we will do."

The evenings are being held to provide voters with the chance to hear the views of the candidates standing for election and the Liberal Democrat, Labour, Poole People, Ukip and Green candidates will be there.

Lib Dem Phil Eades said: "Churches Together have done an enormous job in attempting to have political discussion in Poole and this has been frustrated by the unwillingness of the sitting MP to not only not attend but not even be in Poole at the time. This happened 5 years ago as well."

Bob Lister added: "David Young has spoken at all nine of the ward meetings we have held so far. We welcome Robert Syms at a debate. David has not had the pleasure of meeting him yet."

Jeff Russell, of Churches Together in Poole said: "We have had nothing back from him, despite three or four correspondences sent to him. He has not responded."

John Sprackling, chairman of Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs & District Residents' Association said: "He clearly, doesn’t want to face his electorate."

However the chairman of Dorset Conservative Party, Cllr Mike Green has sprung to his defence saying that all politicians wanted to attend as many hustings in their own patch as possible.

He said: "Things always get a bit fractious at election time and the demands on a candidate's time are numerous. We have had to ask ourselves where Robert can serve us best, and when it came to the choice of attending hustings a couple of days before the election or getting Michael Tomlinson elected to form a united anti-Navitus group of Dorset MPs at Westminster, there was only one conclusion."