CONSERVATIVE candidate Christopher Lynn has ret-ained the Winton ward for his party at a by-election held last week.

The vacancy on Test Valley Borough Council was caused by the death in the summer of Councillor Alan Smith.

At the by-election Mr Lynn polled more than half the votes cast and he was 260 votes ahead of second place man Liberal Democrat David Metcalf, who was trying to get re-elected to the borough council.

The other candidates, Labour's Alan Cotter, UKIP's Anthony McCabe and Green Party candidate James Todd, all failed to get into three figures.

For Mr Lynn service on the local council is something of a family tradition.

Both his parents were members of the old Andover Borough Council and both served as Mayor of Andover.

Mr Lynn, a native of the town who lives in Winchester Road, works for Mencap as a garden supervisor working with handicapped adults.

He is married to Frances and has two sons.

The result leaves the composition of the council unchanged - Conservatives 30, Liberal Democrat 16, Independent 2. Andover Winton ward by-election:-

Christopher David Lynn, Conservative, 902 votes; David Metcalf, Liberal Democrat, 642 votes; Alan Edward Cotter, Labour, 95 votes; Anthony Martin McCabe, UK Independence Party, 60 votes; James Edward Todd, Green Party, 56 votes. (Con hold). Turnout 28.6 per cent.