LABOUR Party member Mike Kettlety has won the North Bradley Council by-election with 71 per cent of the votes.

Mr Kettlety, 72, was named as the winner on Friday, August 12 after receiving 104 votes, with his opponent Francis Morland picking up 42.

Mr Kettlety, who has lived in Yarnbrook for 10 years, said: “I am very pleased to be on the council. I saw that there was a vacancy and thought that I could really add something to the council after working in Trowbridge for 25 years – luckily the electorate agreed.

“It’s quite a large parish and there’s a lot going on. Traffic is a big issue which residents are quite concerned about.

“There has been an increase in speeding in recent months and there’s also congestion in Yarnbrook due to cars coming from Westbury.

“These are issues which I will look to tackle.

“I have also noticed the amount of litter strewn from passing cars in the parish, especially in Phillips Way, which is something that needs to stop.

“I have attended parish council meetings in the past but the meeting in September will be my first one as a full member of the parish council.

"This shows that Jeremy Corbyn is becoming a positive force with voters in our area. I look forward to working for the interests of the people of North Bradley in these difficult times.”

Chairman of Labour’s South West Wiltshire Constituency, Mike Sutton, also feels it is a step in the right direction for Labour.

He said: "For some years now voters in our area have not had the opportunity to vote for a labour candidate.

“With our membership now soaring to record levels this is something we intend to address.

“We will field candidates in as many wards as possible in all council elections for the foreseeable future. People will at last be given real a choice."