LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson biked into Brecon in a bid to support the Welsh Conservative election campaign.

The high profile Conservative arrived at the town’s main car park on Tuesday afternoon and took a tour of town centre shops, after having jumped on a bicycle for a quick spin around the car park.

"Helmets are not mandatory, contrary to popular belief," he told reporters as he got into the saddle of a bike, from bike hire shop Hikes and Bikes.

He was joined by the party’s Welsh Assembly candidates and Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon and local MP Chris Davies.

But Mr Johnson sought to avoid controversy over his support for Britain’s possible withdrawal from the European Union.

Instead he was keeping his guns fired on the Labour Party, which is attempting to win a fifth success term in power in Cardiff Bay in the Welsh Assembly elections on May 5.

Mr Johnson said: "There are some parts of this country which Labour thinks it can govern by some sort of divine right and that was the case in London for many years, we took over in London. We cut council tax, we massively improved services.

"I’ve no doubt the Welsh Conservatives can do exactly the same."

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams, who is defending the Brecon and Radnorshire, a top Tory target seat, criticised the Conservatives as "split down the middle on Europe".

She pointed out while Mr Johnson supports withdrawal from the European Union her challenger, local Conservative candidate Gary Price supports Prime Minister David Cameron’s position Britain should remain in.

Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party are also contesting the Brecon and Radnorshire seat in the Assembly election.

Boris’ tour of Brecon: See what the London Mayor had to say in The Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale from Wednesday, April 6