NOMINATIONS have closed for candidates contesting next month's elections for seats on the five metropolitan councils in Tyne and Wear.

A third of the seats will be contested on May 2 in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland councils, all now Labour-controlled.

Following poor turn-outs in recent elections, particularly for local councils, postal voting is now available for the electorate in all five areas.

The poll in Gateshead and both North and South Tyneside is entirely by postal ballot, with South Tyneside one of four councils nationally using a trial electronic counting system.

For the first time in recent memory all 25 seats are being contested for Sunderland City Council.

The 66 candidates include six standing for the far-right British National Party, plus former Tory group leader Ron Smith, now on an independent ticket, in a four-way fight for the Pallion ward seat.

In Newcastle, the 96 candidates fighting seats for the city council include 78 for the three main parties.

The Conservatives hope to make a return to the council chamber, fielding candidates in all 26 wards.

Fringe party hopefuls include 12 Greens, two Socialist Alliance and single issue candidate Bill Hopwood under the banner of Socialist Alternative - No Incinerator in the Byker ward.

North Tyneside will see three-way fights involving the main parties in all 20 seats, with a single independent, Peter Bell, listed as People First, in Whitley Bay.

All 22 ward seats are being contested in Gateshead, including three British National Party candidates and two Greens, while in South Tyneside six Progressives and three independents fight the main party candidates in the 20 wards.