Villa Park welcomed Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg this week as the Liberal Democrats leader hosted a special Q&A event.

Clegg was given a warm reception as he took part in the event dubbed 'An Audience With Nick Clegg' for Free Radio in the 1874 suite.

Members of the public who registered in advance were invited to take part in the Q&A with the Deputy PM, who fittingly arrived in a claret tie.

On arriving at the stadium, Clegg was greeted by Villa's chief financial officer Robin Russell next to the statue of William McGregor outside the Trinity Road Stand.

The pair chatted about the club's status as one of the founder members of the Football League.

Villa already have a strong Whitehall connection with Prime Minister David Cameron being one of our most famous supporters.

Cameron is the nephew of former Villa chairman Sir William Dugdale who took him to his first ever game as a 13-year-old.

But it was his deputy in the Coalition Government that took centre stage at the home of the claret and blues on Thursday.

Clegg was presented with a Villa shirt before taking to the stage for the Q&A session.

He was joined at the event by the Lib Dems' Regional Chair Jonathan Webber, who is also Director of International Trade for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.