THE chairman of Devizes Guardians, the residents' protest group set up in the wake of the felling of plane trees in the Market Place, has said they will fight on in local politics despite coming second in last week's town council by-election.

Julia Bullen, the group's candidate, polled 315 votes compared to the victorious Conservative candidate, town fire chief Julian Beinhorn, who got 389. The Labour candidate, former town councillor Judy Coom, came third with 282, Liberal Democrat Angelika Davey was fourth with 176 and town trader Alex Duffey polled 83 votes.

Despite the furore over the felling of the trees, three of them at dawn on October 7 and the last one at 4.30am on April 10, the turnout at Thursday's by-election was no higher than usual, with only 30 per cent of residents bothering to get to the polling station or send in a postal vote.

Tony Duck, town newsagent and chairman of Devizes Guardians, said: "We were disappointed we didn't win but we are very encouraged by the response from voters. It indicates we should do very well next year and confidently expect to win seats on the town council at next year's election. On this showing five or six seats are within our grasp."

He also said they had high hopes of success at district council elections next May.

Mr Duck added: "There was clear dissatisfaction among voters on the doorstep. In local elections normal politics don't apply. Julia Bullen has worked very hard and laid foundations we can build on in the future."

John Stevens, chairman of the Devizes Conservative Association, said he was delighted with Mr Beinhorn's win.

He said: "People have obviously listened to us on the doorstep. The Guardians were confident of success but I think the electorate responded to Julian's profile in the town."

Judy Coom, a popular choice to replace the late Jean Owen, whose death following a long illness led to the by-election, may have suffered from the mid-term disenchantment with the Government.

Mrs Coom, a mother of three grown-up children, was a town councillor for the south ward between 1995 and 1999 before having to stand down due to business commitments.

The Liberal Democrat candidate, Angelika Davey, was less well-known than the other candidates but her recent survey of local opinion, especially on changes in the Market Place, had impressed some voters.

Alex Duffey, standing for the United Kingdom Independence Party, has a high profile as chairman of the Devizes Development Partnership and the Wessex Federation of Small Businesses.

The newest town councillor, Julian Beinhorn, will take his seat at the town council meeting next Tuesday.

Mr Beinhorn, a motor mechanic by trade who works for TMR Automotive in Gains Lane, has been a retained firefighter for 32 years and for the last seven he has been station officer at the fire station in Southbroom Road in Devizes. His wife of 30 years, Pam, died two years ago.