CONFUSION surrounds the Malvern Town Council by-election in the Link ward after one candidate appears to have ceased campaigning.

Three candidates were nominated to fight for two seats, Paul Tuthill and Vivien Thompson under the banner of Malvern Town Action Group and Victoria Evans as "housewife".

But town councillor David Williams, who proposed Mrs Evans, told the Malvern Gazette that she wished to withdraw from the contest.

However, she will still appear on the ballot paper, as there is no way to withdraw once nominations have closed.

Nigel Snape, the returning officer, said Mrs Evans had approached him about dropping out of the election, which is being held next Thursday, June 14.

Mrs Evans could not be contacted for comment.

Had Mrs Evans not submitted a nomination, the two MTAG candidates would have taken the two Link seats unopposed.

The cost of staging a contested town council by-election is about £1,200 per ward, said Mr Snape.

The other by-election, in the Langland ward, sees MTAG candidate Lynne Hall and independent Anne Stones vying for the single seat.

Four seats in three wards were not contested. Keith Phillips took the Priory ward, Adrian Ward the West ward, and Alistair Macmillan and Ralph Madden the Trinity ward without opposition. All four stood as MTAG candidates. The vacancies were created by the resignation of councillors following a public protest meeting in February.

Another by-election could be held later this summer after Coun Brian Merrien announced his resignation.