People wearing inflatable dinosaur costumes with blue Conservative rosettes were at the forefront of the Liberal Democrats’ latest election campaign stunt.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey could be seen standing alongside the three “Tory” dinosaurs as he made a speech in Winchester.

The costumed individuals held up a banner reading “Make this Conservative Government history”.

Speaking at the event, Sir Ed claimed voters are switching to the Liberal Democrats because they “have had enough of being taken for granted and being let down”.

“The votes are still being counted, but the message from across the country is loud and clear: People from around our great country have had enough of this out-of-touch Conservative Government,” he said.

Local elections
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is greeted by Tory ‘dinosaurs’ as he arrives to join local Lib Dem campaigners at a celebratory rally in Winchester following the local government elections (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Following Thursday’s local elections, the Liberal Democrats have made gains in traditionally Conservative voting areas of the south of England, sometimes known as the “blue wall”.

In his speech, Sir Ed alluded to the extra council seats his party had picked up in West Oxfordshire, Winchester and Cheltenham.

The Lib Dem leader claimed his new councillors would be “real champions who are going to work tirelessly for the local community and deliver the fair deal that people so deserve”.

The party has become well known for campaign stunts featuring large and outlandish props.

These have included turning the hands on a clock face in the style of Parliament’s Big Ben, to demonstrate “time’s up” for Rishi Sunak, and Sir Ed knocking down a giant blue wall with an orange Lib Dem hammer.