Campaigning stepped up this week ahead of the forthcoming by-election in central Watford.

A seat representing central ward on Watford Borough Council was vacated when Councillor Sheila Smillie resigned at the end of August following her move to Florida.

And Labour Party members and supporters could be seen in Watford town centre on Tuesday carrying a large postcard from the sunshine state.

Their election campaign for candidate Fred Grindrod has focused on former Councillor Smillie's claim for more than £2,000 in allowances while in the US state but before resigning at the end of August.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives and their candidate Youseffe Fahmy have used their own promotional material to clarify figures published in a previous leaflet that led Hertfordshire Police to claim residents could fear crime was worse than it is if they did not read an accompanying story.

The other three candidates fighting to be elected to Watford Borough Council are Dan Channing (UKIP), Dorothy Nixon (Green Party) and Helen Lynch (Liberal Democrats).

Polling stations will open on Thursday, October 14, with the result expected to be announced the following day.