ONE of Theresa May’s cabinet ministers who backed a losing horse at a North-East racecourse has called on constituents to take a punt on the Tories next month.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Karen Bradley MP, put her money on the first race’s sixth-place runner at Sedgefield Racecourse, in County Durham, during a visit with Conservative candidate Dehenna Davison yesterday.

With both of their horses - Roxyfet and Alys Rock - finishing at the rear, they will need better luck to be first past the post at the General Election in June.

Despite this, the duo were positive about the Tory’s chances in the so-called Labour heartland of Sedgefield while Mrs Bradley gave reassurances that concerns over the handling of the decision to close Darlington’s Crown Street Library were being investigated.

Mrs Bradley said: “I love going round the country and seeing the fantastic facilities we’ve got, particularly in the regions.

“Everyone forgets what’s going on in places like Sedgefield so when Dehenna invited me today to come when the races were on I loved the idea. With my tourist hat on, what I now realise is there’s so much beautiful country side here in the North-East.”

They toured the course with executive director Jill Williamson and watched some racing at what was the course’s final fixture of the season.

Speaking in support of Miss Davison, the 23-year-old games shop worker from Hull who hopes to turn Sedgefield blue, Mrs Bradley said: “As a member of the cabinet it’s important that I come and support people like Dehenna in places where people might think the Conservatives could have a chance.

“It’s got everything to play for. There were encouraging results in the county council elections.

“This is a clear choice, vote Conservative or have a Labour majority and Jeremy Corbyn running the country. Dehenna is young and enthusiastic and wants to do things differently.” On the campaign trail with fiance and campaign manager John Fareham, a Hull City Councillor who is about 36 years her senior, Miss Davison said: “We’ve seen a lot of people who have backed labour for ten 20 or 30 years who can’t get behind Jeremy Corbyn. Conservatives are on the rise in the North-East and I can’t wait to see the results on June 9.”

Ahead of a meeting with Darlington-born politician Peter Cuthbertson, who wrote to her requesting library proposals to be called-in earlier this year, Mrs Bradley said: “We’ve had the letter and I have officials looking at it. Clearly we need to look at the council’s requirements to provide library services. I want to make sure we have proper library provision.”