HEXHAM MP Guy Opperman has responded to claims that he has moved his constituency office out of the town.

Last week posts on social media site Facebook appeared to claim that Mr Opperman had moved his Meal Market office in Hexham to Newcastle.

A maelstrom of outrage followed, with some branding the apparent move ‘disgraceful’.

Some noted that the sign appeared to have disappeared from outside the Hexham town centre office.

However, Mr Opperman has moved to reassure his constituents that the Meal Market office remains open.

He said: “My Hexham constituency office is in exactly same place as it always has been; it is the same office my predecessor had.

“Last year we also opened a constituency office in Ponteland to ensure I am as available as possible to help constituents, no matter where they live.

“The new office also has disabled access which I felt was very important.”

The confusion may have arisen from the address of the new office, in Horton Park, near Ponteland.

Though the office is within his constituency, it is listed on Mr Opperman’s website as Horton Park, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Mayor of Hexham, Coun Trevor Cessford has also spoken in support of Mr Opperman.

He said: “He has an electorate of 61,000 in total, 12,000 of which are in Hexham.

“He has to consider other areas as well as Hexham.”

A spokesman for Mr Opperman said that any damage caused to the Hexham office signage will be rectified.