John Precott's appetite for campaign fracas was served a dose of eggs on Wednesday when his campaign bus was pelted by a student angered by his "goading and laughing as he drove away".

Harriet Sluman was arrested and held in custody for over an hour for throwing the egg after the deputy prime minister's visit to Rushden, Northamptonshire.

She was among a group of 70 demonstrators there to protest about the hunting ban and university top-up fees.

A protester said Prescott was "a very provocative man" and was "mocking us in his usual manner".