THREE prospective candidates have put their names forward for a vacant seat on a town council.

The seat is on Barnard Castle Town Council following the resignation of Councillor David Blackie.

The candidates include John Blissett, of Thorngate Wynd, a retired prison officer, who is also a member of Startforth Parochial Church Council and a secretary to the Richmond Deanery Synod.

Roger Redfearn, of Harmire Road, a retired Upper Teesdale farmer who served on committees with the NFU and the Tenant Farmers Association, has also put his name forward.

The final candidate is Mark Terry, of Thorngate, a former RAF and Army pilot, who now flies for Thomas Cook Airlines out of Newcastle International Airport.

This is the second co-option process for the vacant seat after members turned down the sole candidate, Tony Cooke, in September.

A second seat is also vacant on the council following the recent resignation of Councillor Anne Francis.

However, it is not possible to combine the procedure for the two vacancies as the whole electoral process needs to be applied to the second vacancy.

The council is expected to co-opt a new member and begin the electoral process for the second vacancy at its next meeting on Monday.