LABOUR has maintained a big majority in Derwentside after winning a by-election.

Derwentside District Council's Annfield Plain seat became available when Michelle Hodgson resigned after becoming a Durham county councillor.

Carl Christer defended the seat for Labour and polled 418 votes. Keith English polled 111 votes for the Liberal Democrats and Kenneth Osborne-Grant received 65 votes for The Green Party. The turnout was 19 per cent.