THE police were called as tempers flared in a row over the European Union referendum.

The confrontation last week in Tavistock has been described as ‘disturbing’.

Campaigners on both sides of the debate over whether Britain should leave, or remain in, the European Union were involved in what one called a ‘heated exchange’ in Bedford Square last Friday (June 3).

Members of the Vote Leave campaign were manning a stall in Bedford Square, where Tavistock man Peter Squire was campaigning for the ‘remain’ side with a sign bearing the word ‘In’.

‘I raised my voice and said “in, in”,’ said Mr Squire, ‘so this man tapped me on the chest and swore at me.’ He described the behaviour as ‘aggressive’ and the language as ‘abusive’.

Derek Sargent, the Vote Leave campaign’s co-ordinator for Torridge and West Devon, was campaigning in Tavistock with West Devon and Torridge Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox. They had left the stall by the time the row broke out.

Mr Sargent said: ‘I’ve spoken to our people who were there and this man (Mr Squire) was upsetting the people we were talking to, so we called the police.’

Mr Squire, who’s 64, and Mr Sargent both allege that bad language was used.

Mr Squire said: ‘If I had been younger I would have been very intimidated. It was a complete over-reaction and a waste of police resources.

‘The police were very civil and conciliatory. They seemed rather embarrassed.’

‘There were sharp words,’ said Mr Sargent. ‘We called the police and the police asked him to move away, which he did.’ There had been a ‘heated exchange’, he said.

‘He’s an ‘in’ supporter and the best of luck to him. We’re a democratic society and on June 23 everybody will have their chance to put their cross on the ballot paper.’

Police confirmed they were called to the scene but said no formal action was taken just words of advice given.

Tavistock town councillor and West Devon deputy mayor Jeff Moody said the incident was ‘disturbing’.

Other Devon MPs, including Totnes’s Dr Sarah Wollaston and Plymouth Moor View’s Johnny Mercer, have this week voiced concern about increasingly personal attacks in the campaign. Dr Wollaston said people should ‘stop shouting at each other’.

But neither side has been put off further campaigning.

Mr Squire, who returned to Bedford Square with his ‘in’ placard on Monday and Tuesday, said: ‘You could say it’s encouraged me, really.’

The Vote Leave campaign will be back at their stall this Friday.