Labour has won a town council by-election in Kidsgrove.

Ange Cooper secured the vacant Kidsgrove Central & Ravenscliffe seat for Labour in Thursday's by-election.

The by-election was called after the seat was vacated due to previous councillor Olivia Westcott, of Reform UK, failing to sign paperwork on time following her election in May.

Ms Westcott was again chosen as the Reform candidate for the seat, but was narrowly defeated by Cllr Cooper, 403 votes to 377.

Independent Georgia Shenton came third with 127 votes, while Conservative candidate Cressida Dickens came last with 122 votes. Turnout was 16.9 per cent.

Reform took all three borough council seats in Kidsgrove and Ravenscliffe in May's local elections, with Ms Westcott and borough council leader Jonathan Gullis being among their winning candidates. Ms Westcott remains a borough councillor for the seat.

The town council election for Kidsgrove Central & Ravenscliffe in May was uncontested due to the fact that only seven candidates were nominated for the seven seats.

Ms Westcott was unable to formally accept her office at the town council's annual meeting due to a family emergency, and the seat was subsequently vacated.

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