The Conservatives won a by-election yesterday to hold the Worth Valley seat on Bradford Council.

Self-employed teacher Russell Brown polled 1,020 votes, comfortably ahead of his closest challenger, Labour’s Mark Curtis, who received 697 votes.

Robert Swindells, of the Green Party, was in third place with 235 votes, while Liberal Democrat candidate Sharon Purvis came fourth with 180.

The count took place last night at Keighley Leisure Centre.

A spokesman for Bradford Council’s Electoral Services said a total of 2,139 people voted - a percentage turnout of 19.46.

The by-election was held following the resignation of Kris Hopkins, who stepped down from the Council to concentrate on his duties as MP for Keighley.