text: Gary Field, pictured,  was seen at a Ukip event in South Thanet awaiting the arrival of Nigel Farage . Nigel Farage was at the centre of fresh controversy last night after National Front members turned up to campaign for him in the South Thanet constituency. The row started after a group of far-Right supporters calling themselves the East Kent English Patriots supported Mr Farage at an event in Broadstairs on Friday evening. They were led by Gary Field, a former regional organiser for the English Defence League, and enjoyed the protection of Ukip’s security teams, which encircled the Broadstairs Pavilion. Mr Field, who has a criminal record for assault, drank beers behind the cordon with fellow members of his group and gestured to onlookers as a crowd waited for Mr Farage’s arrival. Yesterday, Mr Farage’s Labour opponent in South Thanet, Will Scobie, claimed a group of his campaigners had been attacked by National Front members chanting for Ukip in Broadstairs late on Friday. When Mr Farage realised that Mr Field and his supporters had been seen by this newspaper on Friday evening, he moved quickly to disown them, saying: ‘Members of an extremist group today arrived at a Ukip public meeting at the same time as a Mail on Sunday camera arrives.’ Mr Farage’s comments triggered a war of words with the patriots group, which immediately posted a message saying: ‘We went to Ukip meeting with members of Kent NF and after the meeting Nigel Farage went on Twitter saying we have far right extremists here... the question is nig, do you want our vote or not?’ An anti-Ukip campaigner, Bunny La Roche, claims she was followed into a cafe by Mr Field earlier this month after she turned up to protest at a Ukip rally in Margate on April 11. She has reported him to police for alleged assault after he sprayed Lynx deodorant in her face. Shortly after the incident, Mr Field posted offensive messages about Mr Scobie, writing: ‘Will scobie you are a liebour [sic] paedo supporting ponse you won’t beat ukip in south thanet you dirty little scummy traitor.’ He added: ‘I have the lynx effect on lefties.’ Gary Field, in the white hat,  said he was opposed to the 'stand up to Ukip group' and the extreme left . Mr Field is a former regional organiser of the EDL and was waiting for Ukip leader Nigel Farage, pictured . Mr Field was tagged in 2013 for breaching a community service order after being found guilty of assault. Mr Field said yesterday: ‘I am against Labour and oppose the stand-up to Ukip group. I did spray her [Bunny] with deodorant. It was just banter. ‘She and her people are on the extreme Left. I am not a member of any political party and I don’t intimidate people.’ A Ukip spokesman said: ‘We don’t know who Gary Field is, and therefore we have no responsibility for the actions he takes or the events that he attends. We have made our stance on extremist groups clear. We have no truck with them. End of.’
target: Former EDL organiser Gary Field was spotted at a Ukip event in Kent .
  Mr Field was tagged after he was convicted in 2013 for an assault .
  One Labour canvasser said that Mr Field sprayed her with deodorant .
  Mr Field said he did spray her but claimed the incident was just 'banter'