LEAVING the European Union could plunge Britain back into economic recession, David Cameron told 'In' campaigners at a Witney rally this morning.

The Prime Minister and Witney MP said the country would take an "immediate and sustained hit" if it votes for Brexit in June 23 referendum.

He told them: "I am absolutely convinced that our economic security will be better if we stay in a reformed European Union and it will be seriously at risk if we were to leave.

"If we vote to leave on June 23 we will be voting for higher prices, we will be voting for fewer jobs, we will be voting for lower growth, we will be voting potentially for a recession.

"That is the last thing our economy needs."

Earlier, Mr Cameron also highlighted the loss of billions of pounds in infrastructure investment which he said the UK would suffer if its membership of the European Investment Bank (EIB) was cancelled as a result of leaving the EU.

In a statement issued from Downing Street, he said the EIB poured £16bn into UK projects over the past three years, helping to finance new trains, motorway extensions and research and development facitlities.

"It's unlikely we'd be able to find that money from alternative sources," the Prime Minister added. 

His intervention came as the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign stages 1,000 pro-Remain events across the country, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and the Greens' Caroline Lucas among those taking to the streets in a bid to ramp up support.

On the Leave side, Boris Johnson will be speaking in the South West while the Grassroots Out campaign is also mounting a nationwide blitz of events.

They include a rally in Chester addressed by Conservative former cabinet minister Owen Paterson and Ukip migration spokesman Steven Woolfe.

Mr Paterson will say: "If we vote to remain, we will be consigning ourselves to being a colony of an EU superstate, with more integration and increasingly diminished British influence.

"If we vote leave, we will be making the safer choice, and securing the future freedom and prosperity of this region and the UK at large."