NOT so much an ambush more a surprise for Devizes MP Claire Perry when she was confronted by campaigners for a second Brexit referendum on Saturday.

The Minister for Business, Energy and Industry posed for a photograph with around two dozen protestors led by Kate Freeman of Devizes for the EU group.

Mrs Freeman said: “These postcards were on display in Devizes and Marlborough during the morning. People signing them said how concerned they were about the parliamentary logjam and the countdown to exiting the European Union. They want to have their say on the terms of Brexit.”

Another protester Hugh Norris handed one of the signed postcards to the MP to say the group wanted a People's Vote as many people had changed their minds on Brexit since 2016.

Claire Perry wrote on her website: "I recognise the strength of feeling in the Constituency, on all sides (and in the middle) of this crucial topic.

"We are past academic debate, and rapidly need to coalesce around a course of action or face several unpleasant possible consequences. This is why I am determined to support the Prime Minister over the passage of this legislation, not just because, as a Member of her Cabinet, I am bound by the collective responsibility that we all took to get to this point, but because I truly believe it is the right course of action."

The organisers said they had tried to meet up with the MP to put their point across but had not so far been successful - hence the decision to catch her in the street. They said they had warned her office in advance.

Earlier the protesters had gathered in the church yard at St John's with St Mary's in Devizes but were asked to leave by Canon Paul Richardson.

Devizes for EU said they had made four giant postcards and had taken them around the town on Saturday morning to ask people to sign them if they were in agreement with their campaign.

They said most people supported a new referendum although Brexit supporters were very concerned that there may not be a Brexit at all with the present impass in parliament.

On Tuesday of this week there was a scheduled vote in the House of Commons on the Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU. However this was cancelled and may take place with a revised deal in the next 29 days.

In Wiltshire the MP James Gray is keen for Brexit to take place and has previously told this newspaper that the PM's deal was not good enough and he would vote against it. Andrew Murrison MP for South West Wiltshire has expressed pro Brexit views but has supported the PM so far but said he had concerns over the deal in its present form. The MP for the Chippenham, Bradford-on-Avon and Melksham constituency Michelle Donelan said she is in favour of Brexit although she voted Remain and supported the PM. With so much uncertainty all the county's MPs are waiting to see what the revised deal is before committing themselves.

The postcards presented on Saturday show the depth of concern in the Devizes constituency.

Kate Freeman explained: “Devizes for EU respects the result of the 2016 referendum but that was about the principle of leaving the EU. A People’s Vote would be about the terms. It must allow the people to decide. And it should offer a genuine choice. Do they want the Prime Minister’s deal, crash out of the EU without a deal, or remain in the EU?” A recent YouGov poll shows that only 27% of the general population thinks that their MP should approve the PM’s agreement on the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU."