WORCESTER'S General Election candidates took part in a ding-dong hustings debate at a city church - with the parties clashing over the NHS, zero hours contracts, fracking and young people.

It was standing room only at Saint George’s Parish Church in Barbourne, where around 120 people grilled the hopefuls on their aims for Worcester.

During the debate last night:

- Councillor Joy Squires, Labour's candidate, said Ed Miliband's pledge to cut tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,0000 will leave it "still too much"

- Green candidate Louis Stephen made his most impassioned appeal to voters so far, urging them not to vote "for the same old main parties"

- All the candidates present apart from Conservative Robin Walker criticised fracking, but Mr Walker said it was worth investigating if it could be proved to be safe

Mr Stephen said: "Over the next three weeks the two main parties will be putting immense pressure on you to vote for them, I'd say ignore that.

"Look at the manifestos. We are a small party but we've got principles, radical ideas - you don't have to vote for the same old main parties, there is an alternative."

Cllr Squires, who at one point accused Mr Walker of "smoke and mirrors" over Worcester's affordable housing, said she wanted a "fairer" Worcester.

"I want Worcester to be a fairer, better place - and that's not what Worcester is currently," she said.

"Too many people struggle to make ends meet, where those at the top get more but the rest struggle to get by with what they've got."

Mr Walker, who praised Worcester's improving economy since 2010, said the country was "on the brink" when he came into office.

"I remember knocking on doors in 2009 in Worcester and seeing the repossession notices on doors, things were tough," he said.

"But the economy is turning around."

Mr Stephen said voters had the choice between "business as usual" or change, while Liberal Democrat Federica Smith, who called Worcester "beautiful", said "you can't do everything in five years" and appealed for Nick Clegg's party to get more time in Government.

On fracking, all three candidates present cited real fears around it, but Mr Walker said: "I think it'd be a mistake to rule out fracking, partly due to the costs of heating.

"I know other parties think we should rule out, but I think we should explore the potential of it very, very carefully because we need a sustainable energy supply."

Miss Smith said she was worried about "digging in the ground and what that would mean in 40 or 50 years time", while Cllr Squires said she had "severe reservations" about it.

During one questions on zero hours contracts, Mr Walker said "we should be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater", saying many students rely on them.