LABOUR have held onto Dudley's St James's ward seat in tonight's by-election.

Just 18 per cent of people turned out to vote but there was enough Labour support to see the party's Cathryn Bayton elected.

She polled 847 votes to win the seat which was left vacant following the death of Labour councillor Mary Roberts who had held St James's for eight years.

UKIP's Graeme Lloyd, who was rushed to hospital earlier in the day while on the last day of the campaign trail - suffering from a possible appendicitis, polled 554 votes.

While Conservative candidate Wayne Sullivan picked up 427 votes.