ELDERLY care home resident Josie Lawrance decided she wanted to meet some of the Cotswolds prospective MPs and councillors and was thrilled when they came to visit late last week.

The 96-year-old Paternoster Care Home resident brought up the idea with member of staff Sharon Dewsbury, who set about organising for candidates to visit the home for tea, cake and a chat with the pensioners.

On Friday Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Paul Hodgkinson and district council hopeful Jenny Hincks came to meet residents. On Monday Conservative Geoffrey Adams, a prospective district councillor, also visited.

"I've always voted. I've always felt responsible for voting for my country," said Mrs Lawrance, a former teacher in Africa. "But I have not ever voted in the local elections before. I would like to vote for a local person though. Not to do any direct political work but to make people aware of all the possible things they could do."

Mrs Lawrance spoke of how important it was for politicians to not forget about older people in the elections.

"People here might not be very physically able but we are straight in our minds," she added.

Mr Hodgkinson and Mrs Hincks addressed the room as a whole, and said they were pleased to be visiting the care home in Watermoor, Cirencester.

"We are a team, a double act," said Mr Hodgkinson, who is in the running to be the Cotswolds MP this year. "We are aware that the health service here could be better. Ambulance service times are very poor in the Cotswolds and I want to make sure that is improved."

Jenny Hincks has been a town councillor in Cirencester for the past four years, representing the Watermoor ward, and is also hoping to be elected for her second term as a Cotswold district councillor.

"I've lived in Cirencester for 40 years. Watermoor is an up and coming area and I've seen it change and I want to see it change and improve more, for the better. I get very passionate about Watermoor."

Manager at Paternoster Care Home Joy Warren said she wanted to see the roads fixed outside the house, as she was worried someone would be hurt coming out of the driveway.

"Someone should do something about parking outside Paternoster. The yellow line outside on the road was not painted back properly so people park right outside. You can't see out properly. There was an accident there last week and I'm really concerned about it."

Mr Hodgkinson and Mrs Hincks said the reason people were parking on the streets free was because of the high parking charges in the town, something they were determined to sort out if elected.