AND they're off! Some 49 political hopefuls will be after your vote in the local elections.

One-third of the 48 seats on Bury Council are up for grabs on May 1. Labour are defending 12 of them, the Conservatives three, and Liberal Democrats one.

While no result is guaranteed, there are certain to be some new faces on the council: three Labour councillors (Winston Ramsey, Sylvia Mason and Brendan Hope) are stepping down this year. Two former Tory councillors, Denise Bigg and Antony Barlow, are meanwhile hoping to make comebacks.

The majority of the contests sees a three-way fight between the big three parties: however, the Lib Dems are not standing in the Radcliffe North and South wards. There are also two Green party candidates, and one from the Socialist Alliance.

Among those seeking re-election are two former mayors of Bury and the present First Citizen. Bill Johnson, who has twice been mayor and has served 43 years as a councillor, defends his Tottington seat. Trevor Holt is again Labour candidate for East ward, while the current mayor John Smith defends Redvales.

Elsewhere, Vic D'Albert defends his seat in the Lib Dem stronghold of Holyrood.

The current council line-up is: Labour 33 seats, Conservatives 12, Liberal Democrats three.

CANDIDATES:

(*denotes councillor defending seat):

RAMSBOTTOM:

Keith Rothwell (Labour)

*Barry Theckston (Conservative)

Janet Turner (Liberal Democrat)

TOTTINGTON:

David Foss (Liberal Democrat)

*Bill Johnson (Conservative)

Vic McClung (Labour)

MOORSIDE:

June Drinkwater (Labour)

Winifred Rohmann (Liberal Democrat)

Beverly Sullivan (Conservative)

ELTON:

Denise Bigg (Conservative)

Robert Sloss (Liberal Democrat)

*Ray Watts (Labour)

CHURCH:

*Bob Bibby (Conservative)

James Eagle (Liberal Democrat)

Leslie Jones (Labour)

REDVALES:

Ijaz Ahmed (Conservative)

James Axon (Green)

Martin Robinson-Dowland (Liberal Democrat)

*John Smith (Labour)

EAST:

Matthew Green (Conservative)

Victor Hagan (Liberal Democrat)

*Trevor Holt (Labour)

UNSWORTH:

Peter Ashworth (Conservative)

Vera McClung (Labour)

Geoffrey Young (Liberal Democrat)

RADCLIFFE NORTH:

Alan Bigg (Conservative)

*Barry Briggs (Labour)

RADCLIFFE CENTRAL:

Mary D'Albert (Liberal Democrat)

*Tony Isherwood (Labour)

Eric Margieson (Conservative)

RADCLIFFE SOUTH:

*Tony Cummings (Labour)

Ashleigh Vincent (Green)

Peter Wright (Conservative)

PILKINGTON PARK:

Fiona Davison (Liberal Democrat)

*Pam Walker (Labour)

Michelle Wiseman (Conservative)

BESSES:

*Derek Boden (Labour)

Maureen Davison (Liberal Democrat)

Mark Roberts (Conservative)

HOLYROOD:

Jeanette Chrystal (Conservative)

*Vic D'Albert (Liberal Democrat)

Rita McLoughlin (Socialist Alliance)

Susan Worsley (Labour)

ST MARY'S:

Antony Barlow (Conservative)

Margaret Gibb (Labour)

Michael Halsall (Liberal Democrat)

SEDGLEY:

*Gill Campbell (Labour)

Ann Garner (Liberal Democrat)

Marilyn Vincent (Conservative)