FIRST time candidate Bob Swayne has won the Great Missenden seat in the Chiltern District Council by-election.

Mr Swayne, a 54-year-old, self-employed consultant construction engineer from Prestwood retained the seat for the Conservatives at the polls on Thursday. The seat came up for re-election following the resignation of Conservative councillor Keith Miles, who resigned in September on a matter of principle.

The win takes the Conservative tally to 27 seats on the council. The Liberal Democrats have 12 seats and Independent has one seat.

Mr Swayne, of Honorwood Close, said: "I was surprised to win because it was my first time and I never expected to get the majority that I did."

Mr Swayne is better known as the president of Cancer Research UK's Prestwood supporters' branch which he set up in 2004. So far it has raised £35,000.

He is also a military historian and keen golfer and has lived in the district for 19 years with his wife Laurel and two children, who are currently at university.

Mr Swayne won 494 votes, while Liberal Democrat runner up Michelle Gausman had 149 votes and Labour candidate Sandra Moorcroft had 23 votes.

He said: "I will do my best to represent the people of Great Missenden on the district council and in particular will work hard to protect the environment.

"I have been told that 86 per cent of the Chiltern district is within the Metropolitan Green Belt and a lot of it is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well. It all needs protecting from John Prescott."

Mr Swayne faces the polls again on May 3 when all 40 seats on the District Council will be up for re-elec-tion.