ED Miliband promised to replace East Lancashire’s ancient ‘Pacer’ trains with new rolling stock.

He was speaking in between fish and chips in Blackpool and glad-handing supporters in the shadow of Eric Morecambe’s statue.

Keen to show he’s no political comedian, he seemed relaxed hours after the main election TV debate in Salford.

The Labour leader had promises on transport, housing, and the NHS in East Lancashire.

Two mums with babies, a campaigner with an issue and a woman lady with a dog ambushed his campaign bandwagon.

In rainy Blackpool Rishton lorry driver James Dean was delighted.

The 59-year-old from Clarke Street watched him order fish and chips from Harry Ramsden’s saying: “It’s great to see Ed. I’ll be voting for him.

“I thought he did well in the debate. I just want the end of Cameron’s lot.”

A harassed young mum struggling with a pram in the crowded doorway was urged ‘shove the funny-looking man out of the way’.

She replied: ‘I’m voting for the funny-looking man’, pointing out ‘the next Prime Minister’ to her bemused toddler.

On the bus, Mr Miliband pledges a Labour government will not ignore East Lancashire: “I certainly won’t forget deprived areas because I’ll be a Prime Minister who stands for all parts of our country, creating a different kind of economy that’s going to work for the people of East Lancashire.”

On scrapping Pacers he is clear: “Certainly, Definitely.”

Labour won’t replace them with refurbished London ‘Tube’ or other second-hand trains: “No. You won’t see that. Definitely no ‘hand-me-downs’.

“We want decent high-quality infrastructure for East Lancashire.”

Mr Miliband promises to replace the ‘Elevate’ housing renewal scheme scrapped by the coalition: “We’re going to do that. We’re going to have loans particularly for small developers.

“I think brownfield first is a really important principle.”

Labour would help East Lancashire Hospitals Trust continue its recovery and consider incentives to attract doctors and nurses.

On NHS England’s proposal to centralise seven key services in nearby cities away from Blackburn and Burnley: “I am aware of that plan. I think the most important thing about any changes is they’re clinically, not financially, led and that’s the judgement we would make.

“Keeping services nearby and accessible is definitely part of that judgement.”

He worries about Tory plans for £12 billion of further welfare cuts: “They’re going to cut tax credits.

“That’s really going to hit working families who can least afford it.

“You can’t build an economy on falling living standards for working people. Absolutely not in a low wage area like East Lancashire where people are struggling anyway.”

Mr Miliband is ‘optimistic’ about winning key local seats: “We have a better plan that says it’s only when working people succeed that Britain succeeds.

“That’s why we’re going to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour, abolish the bedroom tax, build a future for all our young people with apprenticeships and lower tuition fees, and turn round the NHS.

“That’s my clear promise which I know the Lancashire Telegraph and its readers will hold me to.”

In sunnier Morecambe, Mr Miliband was tackled by a mother with a baby and a hospice campaigner.

He met recently-married Elizabeth Bunce-Cooper to sign a book and pet her dachshund ‘Baby’ before meeting supporters below the statue of local hero Eric. She said: “He’s lovely. I’ll be voting for him.”

Two teenage girls asked who caused the fuss.

Told it was Ed Miliband, one replied: “No idea who he is.”

The Labour leader clearly has more campaigning to do.