OFTEN we talk about a metaphorical political stage - now this is about to become a literal truth when young actors tread the boards as they have their own say on major issues raised by the General Election.

A production - Your Country Called... - is being put on at The Dukes theatre in Lancaster by The Dukes Young Company.

Multiple stories, many based on real-life experiences, will be mixed DJ-style, with live music performed in The Dukes Rake theatre from April 23-25.

“This production is very topical,” says director Louie Ingham. “It reflects modern events that relate to young people and their place in the world.”

Back in the real political world, there promises to be a dramatic denouement to the General Election as national polls suggest the two main parties are virtually neck and neck in their fight for power.

This is certainly the case in Morecambe and Lunesdale, which was won by David Morris in 2010 with a majority of just 866 votes. Now, constituency polling by Lord Ashcroft hints at a Labour victory, with Labour out in front on 42 per cent of the predicted vote, six points clear of the Conservative's.

The Liberal Democrats have slipped to just five per cent of the vote, making them the fourth party behind Ukip's Steven Ogden, who has seen his share of the vote remain at 12 per cent.

Meanwhile, Phil Chandler's Green Party are in joint fourth spot.

The result is likely to hinge on how many votes each of the two main parties loses to the smaller parties.

Such a tight contest will inevitably see frenzied rounds of canvassing throughout Morecambe and Lunesdale.

But candidates and their supporters should be warned not just to be wary of news-hounds like yours truly, but also the real thing.

The insurer NFU Mutual has urged homeowners to keep their pet dogs under control because political canvassers are jut as vulnerable to being bitten as posties are.

Rural properties are particularly dangerous. The insurer said paid out over £1m in claims for dogs biting or chasing visitors to homes in the countryside.

A spokesman for the insurer said: "With the general election only weeks away, the insurer is reminding property owners that whatever their political persuasion, they have a duty of care to ensure that political canvassers are safe on their property."