Labour has held on to Headington Hill and Northway, comfortably beating the Conservatives in a city council by-election.

Roy Darke polled 548 votes, beating Tory candidate Marc Borja into second place with 443 votes.

Liberal Democrat candidate Ruth Beer was third with 378 votes while Green candidate Katherine Wedell managed 62 votes.

Labour stretched its lead over the Tories in a by-election called after the death of veteran city councillor Maureen Christian, aged 82 in February.

Last year Mrs Christian - who represented the city council for 19 years - polled just 37 votes more than Mr Borja in the Headington Hill and Northway seat at the city elections.

The make-up of the 48-seat Town Hall remains unchanged with Labour in control with 23 councillors, the Liberal Democrats with 16, the Greens seven and Independent Working Class Association two.

A book of remembrance has been set up in memory of Mrs Christian by her family and can be signed by members of the public in the reception area at the Town Hall, in St Aldate’s.

Earlier this year, Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel said she hoped there would be a permanent memorial to Mrs Christian, possibly an annual award to recognise an architectural project in the city.