PENSIONERS were left out in the freezing cold after the cancellation of an annual fair organised by Sajid Javid.

The fair - in its fourth year - was set to take place on Friday (November 22) morning at Parkside, the base of Bromsgrove District Council.

Mr Javid and his team took the decision to cancel the event in advance due to the impending General Election.

However, the news of the cancellation failed to reach everyone and a number of OAPs turned up to find the doors locked.

One told the Advertiser: "There were a lot of annoyed people standing outside."

When told that notice of the cancellation had been posted on social media, she added: "A lot of older people aren't on Facebook.

"We should have been told some other way. There was no notice on the door when we got there or anything like that."

A spokesperson for Mr Javid said: "We took the decision more than a month ago to cancel the fair.

"We felt it would be very difficult to keep the event politically neutral and that it would be unfair to the other candidates so we reluctantly called it off.

"Any partners - AGE UK, local care homes, etc - who we had sent out information to about the event, we got back in touch to say it was off and asked them to spread the word.

"We did everything we possibly could but there are always going to be instances of people who have seen the event advertised once and who we couldn't reach.

"We sent someone down to the venue on Friday morning to see if anyone was still waiting and to give them a gentle explanation."

Mr Javid had promised this year's fair would be the 'biggest and best yet' - and, in a Facebook post announcing the cancellation, he said it will return in February if he is re-elected as Bromsgrove MP in December 12's General Election.

The fair attracted more than 500 retirees and their family members last year, helping attendees find new friends, new hobbies and gain a better idea of the broad range of services, activities and events on offer right across the constituency.

He wrote on Facebook: "Due to the General Election, my fourth annual Pensioners Fair, scheduled for Friday, November 22, will be postponed.

"Although this is an annual event, booked before a General Election was called, pressing on with the Fair would undermine its status as a non-political event – and would not be fair to my fellow candidates.

"If I am re-elected, the Fair will go ahead on Friday, 21st February 2020.

"The Pensioners Fair is an annual celebration of our older residents and our community spirit - with charities, businesses and community groups coming together to support retirees in Bromsgrove District.

"Thank you for your continued support and I hope to see you in February."