A Conservative byelection candidate got lucky twice last week by winning a council seat and collecting money after betting on himself to win.

William Keen came first at the Ruxley ward byelection with 564 votes, and collected a respectable sum of money after placing a £50 bet on being the winner.

Mr Keen said: “I knew I was going to win so I bet £50 on myself – and I am not a betting man.

"I got £450 back. I have never even put a penny on the Derby before, but I knew I was going to win so I bet this time.”

Mr Keen vowed to look after servicemen in his ward and in Epsom. “I will serve people who voted for me, and those who didn’t,” he said.

His win gives the Tories a majority in Ruxley.

He will succeed RA Councillor Derek Phillips, who died of cancer in December, aged 43.

In a simultaneous byelection, Sheila Carlson defied the national political climate to return a seat to the Labour party at Court ward, Epsom, where she has been a councillor before, with 377 votes.

Mrs Carlson said: “It was wonderful to win.

"I represented that ward for 10 years.

"It was really hard not to represent it for the past 15 months.

"What really upset me was the total incapacity of the councillors that were there.

"There were so many local issues left untouched.

"So it was good to get out and talk to people and understand what they were going through.

"My priorities are to get the stalled Hollymoor Lane and Sefton Arms development moving again, and to continue to represent the residents of Gainsborough Road in getting answers to their questions on what the new owners plan for the area.

“Another priority is to work with the local neighbourhood police to tackle antisocial behaviour, which is a problem in some parts of the ward.”

Mrs Carlson will take the seat of Elaine Britten, who resigned due to ill health.

The byelection turn out was 26.9 per cent for Court ward and 24.45 per cent for Ruxley ward.

• What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.