Nay Britton, who stood for Devizes Town Council under her maiden name of Smith in memory of her father much loved Mayor Pete Smith, has resigned her post just days after she was elected for north ward.

The Devizes Guardian sent an official resignation to town clerk Sarah Todhunter yesterday saying she was resigning for personal reasons. At last Friday's count she said her father, who died last August, would have been proud of her for standing. She said: "I am just really delighted to be able to follow on from what my dad did."

In the wake of the election it transpired that Mrs Britton and her husband James had pleaded guilty of perverting the course of justice after they lied about who was driving a car after an accident in 2014. In 2015 she was given a four month suspended prison sentence.

This would have prevented Mrs Britton, 37, of Sarum Drive, Devizes from standing as a town council candidate.

Mrs Todhunter today confirmed she had received Mrs Britton's resignation and reported the casual vacancy to Dr Carlton Brand at Wiltshire Council.

She said that if 10 voters or more from north ward asked for a by-election one would be held.