FOLLOWING a by-election caused by the resignation of former UKIP councillor Dave Small, Nina Wood-Ford has been elected.

The Labour candidate was easily elected to Redditch Council's Church Hill ward after getting 600 votes.

Mr Small, who resigned over alleged homophobic and racist comments, was elected during the elections in May.

However, numerous calls were made for the councillor to step down just days later when it came to light that the Redditch resident had referred to African migrants as "scroungers" and several gay celebrities, including Sir Elton John, as being perverts.

Shortly after that the newly elected councillor was suspended by UKIP and then kicked out with a spokesman for the party saying Mr Small had been expelled after "clearly bringing the party into disrepute".

He later resigned as councillor.

Despite saying he would stand again, his name was not in a finalised list of candidates for the by-election, which took place July 17.

The list of candidates that stood were Isabel Armstrong (Independent), Lee Bradley (Green Party), David Gee (Liberal Democrat), Len Harris (UKIP), Kathy Haslam (Conservative), Agnieszka Wiecek (Independent) and Nina Wood-Ford (Labour) who was elected.