THE Dodderhill ward by-election takes place tomorrow, following the death of Coun Charles Richardson in March.

The 78-year-old Conservative councillor, who died after a three-year battle against cancer, was a member of Dodderhill Parish Council for 43 years and a district councillor for 27 years.

The result of the by-election will have little effect on the overall make-up of Wychavon District Council which consists of 32 Conservative councillors, 11 Liberal Democrats, four Labour and one Independent.

The candidates for the by-election are as follows:

n Chris Barton, Labour, who is 59, married, and moved from the Evesham area to Wychbold two years ago.

He is a member of the Wychavon Oil Engine Preservation Society, served in the Royal Navy for 10 years and is a retired engineer.

n Warren Neville Lewis, Independent, who is the chairman of the Dodderhill Parish Council, and has served as a member of the parish council since 1979.

Mr Lewis worked for 20 years as senior regional officer for The Sports Council in the West Midlands and is now vice-chairman of the English Volleyball Association and a member of the British Olympic Association Committee.

n Judith Pearce, Conservative, has lived in Upton Warren for 12 years and has had associations with Wychbold and Upton Warren all her life.

She managed her late husband's medical practice for a number of years.

Before that, she ran the ski holiday programme for a Midlands tour operator.

She is also secretary of Kidderminster Choral Society, and has a part-time teaching post at Worcester Sixth Form College.

n Derek Prior, Liberal Democrats, is a well known campaigner for the Dodderhill area, having served on the Parish Council since 1991.