WARRINGTON North Conservatives have announced their candidates for this year's council elections - but there are still gaps to be filled.

The Tories will field at least one candidate in each ward, but there will not be a full number of candidates in some wards.

Current Conservative leader on the borough council Clr Keith Bland said he hoped his party could make some gains in the town.

He added: "We are targeting Westbrook and Birchwood and obviously Culcheth (where the Tories have three current councillors).

"And we are hoping to make gains."

The names of the rest of the candidates will be revealed soon for Warrington North while the contenders for Warrington South will be confirmed at the end of the month.

It has already been announced that Fiona Bruce, the Stockton Heath-based solicitor, will stand in Penketh where she faces an uphill struggle to win election in a Labour stronghold.

Candidate list for Warrington North.

Birchwood: Howard Greenwood, Christine Rankin, Stephen Pathmarajah; Burtonwood and Winwick: Val Allen; Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft: Keith Bland, Sue Bland, Les Hoyle; Fairfield and Howley: No candidate; Orford: Vicky Selway; Poplars and Hulme: Brian Lambert; Poulton North: Ileyne Hutchinson; Poulton South: Andrew Cameron; Rixton and Woolston: No candidate; Westbrook: Lilian Houghton, Paul Campbell