A MEMBER of the European Parliament toured Poole's Lush factory as the Lib Dem remain campaign battle bus stopped into Lush in Poole yesterday.

But, after a run-in with a tree in Devon, smashing the front windscreen and one window, the #INTogether bus was held up for some two hours en route.

Some 30 'remain' campaigners turned out at Lush Cosmetics' production headquarters at the Nuffield Industrial Estate in Poole on Monday afternoon.

The MEP met with Vikki Slade, last year's Liberal Democrat general election candidate in Mid Dorset and North Poole, and Hilary Jones, Ethics director at Lush, along with Lush co-founder Mo Constantine, and toured the factory.

Catherine Bearder told the Echo: "Staying in Europe is the best way to find the solutions to the problems that don’t stop at borders, rather than leaving them to our children and grandchildren.

"We believe Britain must put itself at the heart of our continent’s future and shape a more effective and more accountable Europe, focused on responding to major global challenges we face."

Lush’s ethical director Hilary Jones said the company had been “more than happy” to host the visit.

“We feel that there are so many uncertainties that people can’t reassure any of us on, about what a Britain outside Europe would look like,” she said.

“We’re an international company. We have an international work force. The building I’m standing in at the moment has 60 people upstairs taking English lessons who are a huge part of our business. We’re proud to be working alongside them.

“The idea that a third of our workforce are not going to know what their status is going to be is quite a scary prospect.”

She said the environment and animal welfare were better protected by Europe-wide regulations.

“From a business perspective, a human perspective, an animal perspective and environmental perspective it makes sense to stay in Europe. If the vote goes the other way, there’s going to be huge uncertainty," she said.

Vikki Slade said the #INTogether campaign was a Lib Dem initiative run alongside the Stronger In campaign. Labour and Green activists also turned out for the battle bus visit.

"We don’t get much of a voice for obvious reasons with our diminished MPs," she said.

“As the main opposition in this area, we have an opportunity to give the alternative view."

She added: “For us and for Lush it’s about working people’s rights. They’re very concerned about their staff and concerned about about animal welfare. We as a party are very concerned about environmental issues. Those things chime together."

She said she was concerned about the impact of a Brexit vote on working households.