CANDIDATES are lining up to contest a by-election after a councillor resigned just three weeks after being elected.

Lexden and Braiswick councillor Martin Leatherdale had achieved a landslide victory for the Conservatives in May.

But three weeks later, he revealed he had shifted from Conservative to Independent before standing down completely.

He won the election when fighting for his seat in the ward on May 5, securing a total of 1,416 votes.

Now new candidates for the Lexden and Braiswick seat are lining up.

The three candidates running are Catherine Bickersteth for the Labour party, Kieron Anthony Franks of the Liberal Democrats and Sara Jane Naylor for the Conservative party.

The election will be held on Thursday, 28 July.