BY-ELECTIONS are to be held for four newly vacant county council seats.

Polls will be held in the Durham County Council divisions of Barnard Castle West, Sherburn, Ferryhill and Willington and Hunwick.

There is one vacancy in each division on the Labour-dominated authority following the resignations of Conservative Barbara Harrison and Labour’s Stephen Guy, Pat McCourt and Joe Buckham, respectively.

Voting will take place on the same day as the General Election, Thursday, May 7.

Nominations are open now and until 4pm on Thursday, April 9.