A former councillor who once quit the district council's Conservative group is now standing for a seat in next year's Suffolk County Council election.

Alan Ferguson, who fell out with Babergh leader John Ward after failing to gain a place on his cabinet, has been chosen to replace Hadleigh Division incumbent Mick Fraser in the elections due to take place in May, 2021.

Mr Ferguson, who represented the South Cosford ward on Babergh council between 2015 and 2019, claims he agreed to stand down as a candidate for the district council leadership, following Jennie Jenkins' resignation, in return for a promotion to a cabinet position by Cllr Ward, who became leader.

Mr Ferguson claimed that prior to the full council meeting to elect a new leader, a discussion took place with Cllr Ward to agree the conditions, but he was not given a seat and was annoyed Cllr Ward did not abide by the agreement he felt had been made.

He said publicly at the time that he was confident if he had refused the offer, he would have been elected Babergh leader.

Mr Ferguson, who recently moved from Nedging Tye to the new McCarthy and Stone development in Hadleigh, also stood in the 2019 Babergh elections but was beaten by Green candidate Leigh Jamieson by more than 260 votes in the two-horse race for South East Cosford.

The former RAF group captain remained a member of the South Suffolk Conservative Association, and has now been selected to stand as its prospective candidate in the Hadleigh Division.

He is a close friend of former Babergh colleague Sian Dawson, who represents the town's North ward at district level, has recently been poorly, although Mr Ferguson has been offering her his support.