Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was forced to abandon the Liberal Democrat battle bus in Crouch End as he showed his support for Hornsey and Wood Green candidate Lynne Featherstone.

The Lib Dem leader had been at Weston Park Primary School, in Denton Park, Hornsey, as part of campaigning for the General Election next month.

Polls suggest the Hornsey and Wood Green seat is neck-and-neck between Lib Dem candidate Lynne Featherstone, who has been MP since 2005, and Labour candidate Catherine West.

The Deputy Prime Minister told the Tottenham and Wood Green Independent: “Lynne is a fantastic MP and has done a marvellous job with this constituency and the only way for people to help secure better education and healthcare for people here is by voting Liberal Democrat and Lynne.”

The visit came on the same day as the Lib Dems launched their manifesto, in which they pledge to pump almost £3 billion into education.

He said: “I have visited the school before when we introduced the free meals at lunchtime and I really enjoyed it then and it was great to be back.

“Lynne has worked tirelessly for this area and today we have announced in our manifesto that unlike the Labour Party, we will be putting more into schools in this constituency and elsewhere so I wanted to get down here as soon as possible to see a great school.”

The Liberal Democrat leader said he is relishing the challenge in Hornsey and Wood Green, where some polls say Labour has a one per cent advantage.

Mr Clegg added: “It is going to be a tight one but as you know we relish contests, I do not think elections should be correlations but should be contests and comparing our record in this area compared with Labour, which has been vilifying Lynne locally.”

Ms Featherstone pointed to her party's education record in helping schools in the constituency.

She said: “On education particularly, the pupil premium has been transformational in what they have been able to achieve.

“Additional to that I have brought in a different formula which has helped bring in £19million to Haringey, which is a transformational sum.”

Mr Clegg left the school giving high-fives to pupils but was quickly whisked away in a car following the breakdown of the Lib Dems' coach.