LONG-SERVING Ferndown town councillor Mike Parkes has been elected to East Dorset District and Dorset County councils following the death of Steve Lugg earlier this year.

With just a few months until the two councils are abolished through the local government reorganisation process, Cllr Parkes has been elected to represent the town on both authorities.

Following Thursday’s vote, Conservative Cllr Parkes will take the seats which had been filled by Cllr Lugg until his death following a battle with cancer in July.

He has represented Ferndown at town council level since he was first elected at the age of 26 in 1998 and in 2014 he became its youngest-ever town mayor.

He secured more than 50 per cent of the vote in both polls with Liberal Democrat Matthew Coussell and UKIP candidate Lawrence Wilson finishing second and third respectively.

The seat of Ferndown Town Council was won by Francis Worth.