Simon Ring becomes new Norfolk county councillor after winning Freebridge Lynn by-election

The deputy leader of West Norfolk Council has today been elected to County Hall.

Voters headed to the polls yesterday to have their say on who the next Freebridge Lynn representative on Norfolk County Council should be.

This followed the death of Liberal Democrat councillor John Crofts, who died in his sleep in June, just days after his 65th birthday.

Cllr Simon Ring, standing as an independent, emerged victorious with 723 votes. He will now serve on both the county and borough councils.

Conservative Jason Law received 454 votes, and Labour candidate Wilf Lambert received 167.

There was an 18.11% turnout at the by-election.

The Freebridge Lynn division includes Castle Rising, Grimston, North Wootton, Roydon and South Wootton.

Mr Crofts, a former head teacher of the independent Glebe House School and Nursery in Hunstanton, had been voted in as the county councillor for the area in August last year.