THE starting bell has sounded and the fight is on in the run up to the district elections in Wychavon, with all of the candidates now officially throwing their hats into the ring for the elections on May 7.

Overall 101 candidates have registered to battle it out for 41 seats on the council over 27 wards.

In the 10 wards around Droitwich, there are 15 seats up for grabs.

Three wards are facing head to head contests. In Bowbrook, Mel Bates for the Conservatives is up against Margaret Rowley for the Liberal Democrats.

In the Dodderhill ward, Peter Evans for the Liberal Democrats is going head to head with Hugh Hamilton for the Conservatives, while in the Ombersley ward Judith Cussen is standing for the Liberal Democrats against Peter Tomlinson for the Conservative Party.

In the Droitwich Central ward Alan Humphries is standing for the Labour Party, in a four way battle against Becky Littlechild for the Liberal Democrats, Roy Murphy for the Conservatives, and Neil Whelan for UKIP.

There’s a three way fight in the Hartlebury ward between Nigel Dowty for the Conservatives, Andrew Murcott for the Liberal Democrats, and Sheridan Tranter, who is standing as an independent candidate.

In the other five Droitwich wards, 10 councillors are being elected altogether.

In Droitwich East, Bob Brookes and Glenise Noyes are standing for the Conservatives, Andy Morgan is representing UKIP, Sheila Neary is standing for Labour, and David Rowe is standing for the Liberal Democrats.

In Droitwich South East, Steve Ainsworth for the Labour Party is up against Robert Burkett for the Green Party, Bob Crawford and Adrian Key for the Liberal Democrats, Maureen Lawley and Richard Morris for the Conservatives, and Charlotte Townsend for UKIP.

In Droitwich South West Bill Baker is representing the Labour Party, against Graham Beale and Tom Noyes for the Conservative party, Wendy Carter and John Littlechild for the Liberal Democrat party, Yuleen Jewell for UKIP, and Jane Zurek for the Green Party, while in the Droitwich West ward, Ann Bennett is standing for the Green Party, against Jan Bolton and Catherine Powell for the Conservatives, and Eve Freer and Jacqui O’Reilly for the Labour party.

Finally in Lovett and South Claines, Nigel Addison is standing as an independent candidate, against Lynne Duffy and Tony Miller for the Conservatives, and Rory Roberson for the Liberal Democrats.

Residents are being urged to make sure they’re registered to vote by visiting gov.uk/register-to-vote.