A rural council ward in Waveney has been retained by the Conservatives in a by-election - albeit with a reduced share of the vote.

People living in the Wrentham ward - which includes Benacre, Covehithe, Brampton, Frostenden, Henstead, Hulver Street and Wrentham - had the chance to choose a new district councillor yesterday (Thursday, May 5) after Conservative Martin Parsons resigned to take up a new job supporting victims of jihadist violence in the Middle East.

Craig Rivett has now retained the seat for the Conservatives after scoring 335 votes, with his nearest challenger - Labour's Paul Tyack - getting 252.

That left the Conservatives with a 40.41 per cent share of the vote, compared to Labour's 30.39 per cent. The turnout for the by-election was 46.04 per cent.

Dr Parsons has won the seat last year with a 56.9 per cent share of the vote, although there was a higher turnout last year as the poll coincided with the general election.

Also standing were the UK Independence Party's Andrew Bols, who got 156 votes, Liberal Democrat Christopher Thomas, who got 46 votes, and Green Party candidate David Brambley-Crawshaw, who polled 40 votes.

Mr Rivett was a senior manager for Royal Mail and said ahead of the election: 'Working with unions, I delivered business improvements, maintaining service to customers and protecting earning opportunities for staff.

'I hope to carry on Martin Parsons' great work.'