Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith says he is fine after street attack

Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he was attacked while walking to a meeting outside the Conservative Party's conference

A former leader of the Conservatives has told the BBC he is fine after he was attacked during party conference.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he was walking to a meeting in Manchester city centre when a group of people called him "Tory scum" and tried to hit him with a traffic cone.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were on the scene "within minutes" and five people had been arrested.

Sir Iain said he was "big enough and old enough" to just "carry on".

'Tory scum'

The incident took place on Portland Street around 16:00 BST, according to the force.

The MP said he had left the main conference venue to attend a fringe event when he was recognised by a group of people.

He told the BBC: "They then decided to follow me and started shouting abuse, such as 'Tory scum' and any other reason they could think of.

"I carried on walking and when I was getting close to the place [where I had a meeting] someone came up with one of those rather heavy traffic cones and tried to smack me with it in the back of the head."

Sir Iain said he managed to get hold of the cone and, for a moment, the group moved away.

"But then they carried on with the expletives," he added.

"I then went into a meeting so I didn't see what happened next but I understand a police officer had been following them, and I gave a statement later."

The police confirmed the incident, adding: "Following a short foot pursuit three men and two women have been arrested in connection with it, and remain in custody for questioning.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

And Sir Iain said he was "fine", adding: "I am big enough and old enough to know when something like this happens, you just carry on."