There was tight security as leading government ministers visited Blackpool at the weekend - but some locals did get a chance to put their point of view to people in power.

A number of cabinet members ventured beyond the ring of steel which surrounded the Winter Gardens and the Imperial Hotel to see how their policies are working on the ground.

Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, went to Bispham on Saturday where he met police officers, councillors and residents from the Greenlands Ward to discuss a 33 per cent drop in crime for the area.

He was at the Squirrel Pub to hear from local community beat manager, PC Gareth Jones, about the introduction of CCTV and the use of anti-social behaviour orders in the area.

Local MP, Joan Humble, who arranged the visit, said: "I am pleased that the Home Secretary has taken up my invitation to come and hear such a success story and meet PC Jones. Greenlands is a low crime area again."

On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, had a chance to see first hand the work being done on Grange Park.

Mr Prescott had invited Grange Park residents Maureen Horn and Alison Stringer, who have been involved in the estate's regeneration efforts from the start, to attend the conference as he gave his speech.

To their surprise, they were named in the speech along with Blackpool Council housing manager, Natalie Kilgallon, who said: "We were aware that John Prescott was going to make reference within his speech to Grange Park, however we were very surprised that when he actually spoke about Grange Park, he named us individually and asked us to stand up, to huge roars and congratulations from the hall!"

Mr Prescott agreed to visit the estate and was at the City Learning Centre later that day.

On Friday Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, performed the official opening of the Palatine Leisure Centre.

Also on Friday members of the RSPB were able to show off their plans for the future to rural affairs minister, Jim Knight, when he visited the Ribble Discovery Centre.

Mr Knight said: "The RSPB and its partners should be congratulated for the work they are doing here at the Ribble Estuary, which is an internationally-important habitat for birds and a valuable home for a variety of other wildlife."

The conference, which also marked Labour's 100th anniversary, was the party's first visit to the resort since 2002. Its main autumn conference will take place in Manchester this year, a departure from the usual policy of the main political parties to use seaside resorts as their major conference venues.