FORMER minister Richard Benyon MP was the guest of local Tories at the historic Birtsmorton Court near Malvern.

Mr Benyon gave a talk on Friday (June 27) to the West Worcestershire Conservative Association Patrons’ Club, where he was welcomed by local MP Harriett Baldwin.

He said: “It was a huge pleasure to visit this beautiful location in Worcestershire and see how well Worcestershire cares for its local environment and heritage.”

Mr Beynon, a former soldier, was Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries until October 2013 and is a founder trustee of Help for Heroes.

Mrs Baldwin said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Richard Benyon MP to Birtsmorton. He is much admired by colleagues and my constituents for his achievements as a minister, winning the "fish fight” reforms to the Common Fisheries Policy which will ban fish discards from 2015.”