Labour wins Sandwell by-election
Labour have held on to a seat in a Sandwell Council by-election which was prompted by the death of a well known councillor.
Danny Millard has been elected to the seat in Blackheath ward with 915 votes.
He takes the seat previously held by Malcolm Bridge who died in June.
Mr Millard beat Tory Shirley Ching into second place who polled 544 votes.
UKIP's Ian Keeling was third with 287 and Green party candidate Ben Groom trailing in fourth.
Turnout for the election was just 19.3per cent.
Mr Bridges had been elected to the ward in 2010 but had previously represented Bristnall for many years until losing his seat to the Tories in 2008.
Sandwell's Labour leader Councillor Darren Cooper said: "This was a fantastic result for Labour, particularly when you consider that we have fought this by-election in the middle of a national leadership election.
"The UKIP vote has completely collapsed. They spent this by-election putting out a lot of huff and puff about the West Midlands Combined Authority and people have seen through it."