A BY-ELECTION is set to be fought in Rossendale after one of the borough's councillors stood down.

Eden ward Tory member Barbara Marriott has resigned from the council through ill-health.

Barbara, of Bury Road, Edenfield, had served for two years but her time as a councillor was dogged by ill health.

In fact, she was actually unconscious in hospital when she was elected as councillor for the ward after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Her resignation will spark what is likely to be a strongly-contested by-election which is expected to be held on the same day as the local elections.

The 60-year-old mother-of-two was recently featured in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph after winning compensation from Lancashire County Council after tripping over a pot -hole and breaking her right ankle while investigating a crumbling road.

Coun Marriott, who has been campaigning about the state of the borough's roads for the past 10 years, said she took legal action in a bid get highways chiefs to stump up enough cash to improve the area's paths and roads.

Today she said: "I am finding the pressure of representing the people of Eden ward, trying to work and run my home increasingly difficult.

"I am, therefore, resigning because of ill health, and for no other reason.

"I owe it to my daughters. They know as well as I do something has got to give.

"I've been exhausted and my daughters have been pleading with me to stop doing so much.

"When they have been through what they have been through being told your mum only has a 50/50 chance of living it would have been wicked of me to carry on.

"It's been a difficult time. I've had to learn things all over again. After the haemorrhage I forgot simple things like how to get to places I had been to a hundred times before. I also forgot who people were and that was very peculiar.

"I must thank my colleagues on the council and in the administration departments. Also the people of Eden ward for their help and consideration during the past two years. I extend my wholehearted support to the prospective candidate Darryl Smith and of course to Mayor Jeff Cheetham."

A spokesman for Rossendale council said: "The council received Barbara's letter of resignation last week. It takes immediate effect. A notice of vacancy has been posted."

All the main parties will now consider whether to contest the Eden by-election.