Two candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for the first of four Breckland Council by-elections expected to take place next month.

Former Attleborough mayor Karen Pettitt will contest the town's Queens ward for the Conservatives, while sports journalist John Williams has been selected as the Labour candidate.

The by-election will be held on Thursday July 19 after Conservative councillor Simon Rogers, who was elected unopposed last year, resigned after moving to Cornwall.

Mrs Pettitt, who is a trustee of Connaught Hall and a governor of the town's high school, said: 'When I moved here I was not too sure. It was a case of a forced move here but give it a year and I fell in love with the place and I have a real love for the town.

'I'm a town councillor and I think the next stage is to go on to the district where I can be best placed to serve the community I live in.'

Mr Williams has put his opposition to any introduction of parking charges in the town at the centre of his campaign.

Mrs Pettitt said: 'They have got to get the money from somewhere. I think in Attleborough we have to look at it. I think it's quite likely that we can have at least some free parking for residents to go shopping because we have a lovely town and some lovely shops.'

By-elections have been called for Harling and Heathlands, and Mid Forest, for Thursday July 26, while no date has been set for the Thetford Abbey contest.