THE leader of Worcester City Council today enters the EU debate - saying Brexit would be "a disaster".

Councillor Adrian Gregson has told the Worcester News he fears a serious impact on the city's economy if Britain votes to quit.

The Labour politician has also echoed the words of Prime Minister David Cameron, who penned an exclusive letter for this newspaper last Friday urging city voters not to back the "risk".

Councillor Gregson said: "As far as local businesses are concerned, leaving will be a disaster.

"We'd be facing a recession and the key thing is that if we leave, we'll have created it ourselves.

"There will be less money around in the economy, leading to more cuts and more problems, and it won't help immigration.

"We are very clear in the view that we have to stay where we are - if you look at Worcester and all its big employers like Worcester Bosch and Mazak, the university, they all want us to stay in."

Councillor Gregson has also told his own cabinet Britain needs to back the EU, after questioning from former Labour politician Richard Boorn.

Mr Boorn, who runs a small business called Bondtech, is running the official Worcester Labour Party 'In' campaign.

"I run a business in Worcester trading locally, elsewhere in the UK and in Europe," he said.

"I'm concerned that my business may be adversely affected by a Brexit vote."

Mr Cameron's letter said Worcester's manufacturing, its tourism in terms to visitor numbers to sites like Worcester Cathedral, and even county cider faces taking a hit under Brexit.

But the business-related campaigning came under fresh attack over the weekend from another city firm.

Neil Westwood, who runs Blackpole-based Magic Whiteboard, contacted this newspaper after seeing Mr Cameron's letter and accused him of "clutching at straws".

Mr Westwood said: "David Cameron seems to be concerned about fewer people visiting Worcester Cathedral - I don't understand why fewer people would visit the Cathedral because we are not in the EU.

"He is clutching at straws. Smaller businesses in Worcester employ more people than Mazak and Worcester Bosch put together and 95 per cent of them don't sell to the EU anyway, but still have to follow all the rules and regulations.

"On June 24 it will be business as usual."

* EXCLUSIVE: David Cameron urges Worcester people to back EU - saying the city needs Europe