VOTERS in Bromsgrove District Council's Furlongs ward will have a choice of four candidates when they go to the polls on December 18.

The inclusion of a second Independent candidate surprised many when the list was published after declarations closed last Friday.

The second Independent is Stanley Francis, from Romsley, who could not be contacted for a comment before we went to press.

His Labour opponent will be Rory Shannon, aged 23, from Aston Fields, who is a partner in a Worcester restaurant with his father Sean. Sean represents Charford for Labour on the council and is his party's election agent.

As we revealed last week Margaret Sherry, from Adams Hill, Clent, will be the Tory candidate and Carol Gough, from Hill Top, Bromsgrove, is the other Independent.

The by-election has been caused by the death of Conservative member Terri Matthew in September.

Bromsgrove Conservative Association chairman Peter Jarrett has taken the unusual step of writing to all members in the Furlongs branch seeking their support for Margaret Sherry.

A former nurse at Bromsgrove General Hospital, she has two children and two grandchildren. She had worked closely with Cllr Matthews, especially on planning matters in Clent.

In the letter Mr Jarrett says under normal circumstances there should have been a branch meeting to confirm the candidate but as time was short before Friday's closing date, it was unlikely to have been very well attended.

A Furlongs branch committee has however, given the candidate its unanimous support, he said.