Obama and Romney in final US presidential campaign stretch

As the presidential candidates gear up for the final stretch of frenzied campaigning in key swing states, they are pulling out all the stops in a bid to garner as much last-second support as they can.

Barack Obama, the Democratic incumbent, spoke at three events in Ohio, a state that is expected to be decisive in his bid to be elected for a second term.

At the same time Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee, appeared in Wisconsin before moving on to two events in the hotly contested Ohio.

Opinion polls show the two rivals neck and neck on the final stretch - just four days away from the election itself.

On the campaign trail, both candidates framed the electoral choice as a choice between two different visions of America.

"We know what change looks like, and what the governor is offering ain't it," Obama told supporters in Ohio.

Obama also welcomed recently released job figures by the US Department of Labor, which announced that a better-than-expected figure of 171,000 new jobs were created in October.

"We've made real progress, but we've got more work to do," Obama said.

However, Romney told supporters the report was a "sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill".

"Candidate Obama promised change, but he couldn't deliver it. I promise change, but I have a record of achieving it," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"[Obama] has never led, never worked across the aisle, never truly understood how jobs are created in the economy."

The vice-presidential candidates were also on the trail.

The frantic pace of campaigning is set to continue over the weekend, with Obama scheduled to visit four battleground states - Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin and Virginia - on Saturday alone.

He is then due to appear in New Hampshire, Florida, Ohio and Colorado on Sunday, the penultimate day of canvassing.

In the meantime Romney is heading to New Hampshire, Iowa and Colorado on Saturday - three states that his opponent carried in 2008.

He will finish his weekend tour with stops in Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania on Sunday.

Ohio, with 20 electoral college votes, has been seen by many as the single most critical state of them all.