REFORM UK will represent Newton Abbot at County Hall as Nigel Farage’s party wins both of the town’s seats in Thursday’s election for Devon County Council.

Reform won four of the ten total seats in Teignbridge division, including both of the Newton Abbot seats.

‘I am glad my words were heard, and my integrity showed’ Mick Cockerham, who won Newton Abbot South.

‘To see, collectively, that people want change is so refreshing.

‘I am going to do what’s fair for everybody’ Mick added.

Mr Cockerham unseated independent candidate and incumbent Janet Bradford, who came second.

The Reform party’s Jacqueline Ann Fry won Newton Abbot North, unseating conservative Phil Bullivant, who came fourth.

Elsewhere, the party also won Ipplepen and The Kerswells and Kingsteignton and Teign Estuary; the former won by Heather Maureen Horner and the latter by Tony Dempster.

And it came second in Ashburton and Buckfastleigh, Chudleigh and Teign Valley, Dawlish, Exminster and Haldon and Teignmouth

‘It was a pleasant surprise, I hope I can do the role justice’ Heather said.

‘I hope we can make a difference’ Heather added.

There was cause for yet more celebration, as Reform gained its first ever seat on Teignbridge District Council after 400 Teignmouth residents voted for Steve Horner to represent them in the Teignmouth West by-election, which took place at the same time.

Steve, who was also standing in the Devon County Council elections, said he was ‘delighted’ although he ‘would have liked to have won both’.

‘It’s exciting because we’ve got a massive job to do at every level,’ Steve said adding that he had already spoken with Liberal Democrat councillors, ‘who control things from a political point of view’.

‘I think we’ll get on just fine,’ he commented. ‘My questions might be a little bit awkward,’ he added.

‘But we’ll see how it goes.’