ELECTION fever hit Wiltshire last week when nearly 8,500 young people voted to elect the Wiltshire members of the UK Youth Parliament.

The elections were also used to elect new members to the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth (WAY) with three of the eight elected from North Wiltshire Schools.

Neil Tucker from Abbeyfields School in Chippenham, Rebecca Lye, from Devizes School, and Jess Egan from Corsham School will all join WAY from North Wiltshire.

The UK Youth Parliament representative for West and North Wiltshire will be Emma Leanne Crabtree from The George Ward School in Melksham with the Salisbury and Kennet representative being Kayleigh McDougall from South Wilts Grammar School in Salisbury.

Becky Holloway, from John Bentley School in Calne was voted in as a deputy MYP for the second year.

Becky, 15, from Jugglers Lane in Yatesbury, said she was pleased to have been elected and enjoyed going to the regional meetings for the UK Youth Parliament.

"I was voted in last year and this has started getting me interested in politics and local government.

"This year the first thing I felt was relief it was all over but there is a bit of disappointment I didn't make it as a MYP myself."

The new MYPs will join WAY members in meeting county council leaders on February 24 to officially launch their youth manifesto.