BOTH of Durham City's main political parties claim they are on track to win the constituency at the forthcoming General Election following the result of a key by-election last week.

The ruling Liberal Democrat group on the city council held onto the seat of Newton Hall North, which was won by its candidate Amanda Jayne Hopgood with a 524-vote majority.

The Liberal Democrats immediately claimed the victory demonstrated that they were on track to win in Durham City come the General Election, likely to be in May.

However, Labour retorted that analysis of the vote showed a 3.6 per cent swing to them in the safe Liberal Democrat seat - which proved voters were coming back to Labour.

The victory in Newton Hall is the second successive by-election victory for the Liberal Democrats recently, following the Belmont by-election in December when the party recaptured the seat following the defection of its sitting councillor Kathleen Atkinson.

Coun Fraser Reynolds, Liberal Democrat leader of Durham City Council, said: "This is a landmark victory for the Liberal Democrats in what was just four years ago one of the City's most marginal seats.

"It has put Labour on notice that the Liberal Democrats are serious about their challenge to take the City of Durham constituency from Labour in May."

However, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Roberta Blackman-Woods, who is fighting the constituency following the retirement of sitting MP Gerry Steinberg, said: "This result demonstrates that voters in Durham, even in areas regarded by the Lib Dems as safe for them, are starting to see through the Lib Dems in Durham City with their record of service cuts for the elderly, charges for formerly free services and wasting taxpayer's money on trivia like what colour taxis should be."

The Newton Hall by-election was called following the death of deputy mayor George Hunter, who held the seat for the Liberal Democrats since 1999.

There remains one vacant seat on the city council at Coxhoe ward, after the jailing of sitting Labour councillor Les Sheppard last month for child sex offences.

No date has been announced for the by-election there, but it looks increasingly likely it will not take place until May.

The full result of the Newton Hall North by-election was:

Amanda Jayne Hopgood (Liberal Democrats) - 704

Aurelia Constance Smith (Labour) - 180

Jeremy Richard Stocker (Conservative) - 68

Veronica Winter (Independent) - 62

Turnout was 38.6 per cent.