FRANK Cassidy, a caseworker for Barrow and Furness's Labour MP John Woodcock, has score his own electoral victory by taken Walney South for the party in a Cumbria County Council by-election.

He secured 727 votes - three times the number polled by his nearest rival, Ukip's Graham Pritchard.

All local political parties had one eye on the outcome of yesterday’s ‘Litmus Test’ Walney South by-election which was being contested by Labour, Conservatives and Ukip.

In many quarters it was regarded by what American political analysts call a ‘bellwether’ ballot – a vote that indicates trends to come – as the general election of May 7 begins to loom.

Contesting the vacancy on Cumbria County Council were Frank Cassidy (Labour) Gregg Peers (Conservative) and Graham Pritchard (Ukip).

Labour took the seat by a comparative landslide with Mr Cassidy, a caseworker for Barrow and Furness Labour and Co-operative party MP John Woodcock, securing 727 votes. Mr Pritchard received 239 while Mr Peers garnered just 181.