IT was a PR stunt designed to publicise an exciting new touring production that visits Southampton in May.

Nigel Farage was upstaged this morning as dancing Nazis and a 16 tonne World War II TANK crashed UKIP's conference.

Performers from the Mel Brooks' musical 'The Producers' made sure attention was on them as they high-kicked to the famous number 'Springtime For Hitler'.

The dancers in Gestapo-style hot pants, Jackboots and insignia astonished delegates unveiling the party's General Election campaign manifesto in Margate, Kent.

The cast took a break from rehearsals to promote the acclaimed musical comedy which runs at The Mayflower from Tuesday May 26- Saturday May 30.

But members of the anti-European Union party were left open mouthed as the song 'Springtime For Hitler' blared from a P.A system on the German World War II's tank turret.

Dancers performed a choreographed goose-stepping routine in front of the Winter Gardens as the party attempted to greet the media ahead of the three-day conference.

The new stage show version of the hit musical stars Ross Noble, Jason Manford, Phill Jupitus and Louie Spence. It opens in Bromley on March 7 before touring the UK.

Producer of 'The Producers' Adam Spiegel commented "We open the UK tour of The Producers in Bromley next week and Margate seemed a perfect place to start the promotion. I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised to see that UKIP are trying to hitch a publicity ride on the back of the show."

Based on Mel Brooks' much loved Academy Award-winning movie, The Producers is a hilarious musical comedy that has taken Broadway and the West End by storm, winning a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and 3 Olivier Awards.

Impoverished by a string of flops, New York producer Max Bialystock recruits timid accountant Leo Bloom to help him pull off Broadway's greatest scam. They aim to produce the worst show ever and run away with millions, but they soon learn that showbusiness can kick you in the teeth.

The show features a riotous mix of eccentric characters and show stopping songs. Featuring the all time classic Springtime For Hitler and starring award-winning comedian Jason Manford as Leo Bloom, Phill Jupitus and Ross Noble as Franz Liebkind, choreographer and TV personality Louie Spence as Carmen Ghia and Cory English as Max Bialystock, The Producers may be the funniest Broadway musical of all time.