A Sidmouth councillor has given his thumbs up to Boris Johnson to take over the Conservative Party.

Devon County Councillor Stuart Hughes bumped into Mr Johnson while leaving a meeting near Westminster Abbey on Tuesday, June 18.

The former foreign minister is currently running to take over the party after Theresa May stood down as Prime Minister.

Standing against Mr Johnson are Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab, Rory Stewart and Sajid Javid.

Those remaining in the race to succeed Theresa May, after a further vote by MPs, will appear in a live broadcast debate on BBCOne tonight (Tuesday) at 8pm.

Mr Johnson refused to take part in a debate on Channel 4 on Sunday and was represented by an empty chair.

Further votes by Tory MPs will be held later this week until two candidates remain.

The two names will then be put to a postal vote sent to all Tory party members.

Cllr Hughes said: "I am certainly backing him and told him so. I think he's the only candidate who will pull and unite the Conservative Party.

"I'd just finished chairing my first meeting of PATROL Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London. On the way out of the rear entrance of Church House near Westminster Abbey met Boris and his team just getting into his Range Rover.

"I was delighted he agreed to photo, and yes, feel privileged to have been one of the few to have had opportunity to speak to him prior to the BBC candidates' hustings tonight."