Pensioner 'punched in the face for handing out Remain leaflets' in Carlisle Brexit bust-up

An elderly man was punched in the face while handing out Remain leaflets ahead of the European Union referendum. The 78-year-old man was handing out campaigning material on a busy street in Carlisle on Sunday morning when the alleged assault happened.

He became involved in an altercation with another man outside the House of Fraser store when he was struck in the face suffering minor injuries. Cumbria Police have arrested a 52-year-old man in connection with the incident.

Police are looking for witnesses, saying: "A 78-year-old man was struck in the face causing minor injuries by a 52-year-old man following an altercation about the EU referendum. A 52-year old man was arrested by police shortly after the incident. The police investigation into this assault continues."

With fewer than two days to go, the polls on the EU referendum sit on a knife-edge, according to the latest survey of voting intentions. The new polling approach from NatCen Social Research predicts that the result of the ballot will be 53 per cent for Remain and 47 per cent for Leave.

Meanwhile, the latest telephone survey from Survation of more than 1,000 people, puts Remain on 45 per cent (+3 margin for error) and Leave on 42 per cent (-3 margin for error), with 13 per cent of respondents undecided.

On Tuesday 21 June, England football legend David Beckham revealed that he will be voting Remain and urged the British public to do the same. The multi-millionaire sports lawyer stressed that he would be passionate about the UK whatever the result of the historic ballot, but argued he was backing Remain to avoid isolating Britain.