A HYNDBURN council by-election has been called in Spring Hill ward in Accrington and will take place next month.

Hyndburn council has set the date for the by-election on Thursday, July 9 following last month’s death of former Mayor Pam Barton. Labour, the Conservatives and UKIP have announced their candidates for the seat and the deadline for nominations is Friday, June 12 at 4pm.

Labour group leader Miles Parkinson said Diane Fielding, a primary school teaching and learning assistant from Spring Street, will stand for the party.

He said: “It is under very, very sad circumstances that we have called the by-election after due reverence to Pam.

“We have selected Diane Fielding who was well-known to Pam and across Spring Hill. It will be a hard act to follow but we are looking forward to the campaign and hopefully if elected she can continue to fight for Spring Hill as Pam did for 17 years.”

Mohammed Safdar, of Pendle Street, will be running for the Conservatives.

Group leader Tony Dobson said: “He has stood for us before in Spring Hill so we have our man. The Conservative group were very sad at the loss of Pam who was very well respected in Spring Hill and by all the parties.

“We are going to fight the by-election to win and we believe we have got a candidate with a lot of support in the ward.”

Former Independent candidate Ken Smith will stand for UKIP.

Paul Thompson, of the Hyndburn UKIP group, said: “It was very heartbreaking what happened to Pam. She was such a good lady and we had no chance against her. I think it will be more of an even playing field now. Ken is very active in the ward even though he is not a councillor. He is always going to PACT meetings and area council meetings and he’s a good lad.

“I think we will get a lot more support than last time.”

Coun Barton, of Ormerod Street, Accrington passed away at Royal Blackburn Hospital on May 5 aged 68 after a battle with cancer.

The mum-of-two served as councillor in Spring Hill for nearly two decades and was also Mayor of Hyndburn in 2008/9.

Dozens of family, friends and colleagues gathered at St James’ Church last month for her funeral led by Rev Ian Enticott and Rev David Bacon.