THE battle is on in Ross-on-Wye ahead of a county council by-election that could wipe out Herefordshire’s Tory dominance.

Conservative, Lib Dem and independent candidates make up the three-way fight to stand for the Ross West seat.

Should the Tories miss out it will mean their one-seat county majority is lost as opposition members will number 29, the same as the current Conservative administration.

Ahead of election day on January 24 the three candidates – Conservative Richard Mayo, Independent David Ravenscroft and Liberal Democrat Caroline Bennett – have been busily campaigning.

The election has come about following the death of Conservative member Gordon Lucas in November.

The 82-year-old ran Lucas Motorcycles in the south Herefordshire town for 50 years