BUSINESSMAN Stan Snowdon is hoping to win a place at County Hall next Thursday in a three-cornered by-election fight.

Mr Snowdon is contesting the Congleton and Buglawton seat on Cheshire County Council for Labour, a party he joined 12 months ago.

The seat became vacant following the death of Labour county councillor Bruce Millington.

Mr Snowdon, from Belgrave Avenue, Congleton, started a small business this year making English bone china table lamps.

His challengers in the March 18 poll are Liberal Democrat candidate Carol Hinckley and Conservative John Pollard.

Mrs Hinckley is a quality and standards assessor for City and Guilds, while Mr Pollard is the coroner for Manchester South.

Mr Snowdon is single, has two grown-up daughters, and joined the Labour Party a year ago.

He enjoys cooking and walking, is a former Rotarian and a member of a local fitness club.

Mrs Hinckley, from Timbersbrook, is married with three adult children, a son and two daughters.

She was a borough councillor from 1986 to 1990, a town councillor between 1982 and 1991, and Congleton town mayor in 1990.

Before becoming a coroner Mr Pollard, who lives in Congleton, was a solicitor in private practice from 1977 to 1995.

He is chairman of Dane Housing, president of Vale Juniors FC, and a director of LRC 4x4 in Buglawton and Congleton Town FC.

He has been a Congleton town councillor since 1983, and served on the borough council for four years.

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