Conservatives retain control of Swindon council after by-election

The Conservatives have retained control of Swindon Borough Council after a by-election.

A defeat could have led to the Tories losing their one-seat majority at the authority.

Oliver Donachie beat four other candidates standing in the Haydon Wick ward, in the election which took place on Thursday.

The vacancy arose on Swindon Borough Council following the death of Tory councillor Rex Barnett this year.

Mr Donachie polled 1,376 votes with Labour's Mary Clarke coming in second with 887 votes.

UKIP candidate Edmund Gerrard polled 426 votes and Sean Davey for the Liberal Democrats had 83 votes.

Mr Donachie said the win was due to the late Mr Barnett "being held in very high esteem", and the party's "positive" election campaign.