THE UK Independence Party (UKIP) has pledged to contest every seat up for election on Wyre Forest District Council next year.

The announcement comes after UKIP made a historic breakthrough by winning its first four Worcestershire County Council seats – two of which were in Wyre Forest – in last week’s elections.

Tony Baker was elected in St Mary’s with 595 votes and Eric Kitson won a seat in Stourport with 1,385 votes.

UKIP had candidates contesting all 10 Wyre Forest seats up for grabs at County Hall and came first in two divisions and second in five of the others it contested.

On the back of the party’s county council success, Michael Wrench, prospective parliamentary candidate for UKIP Wyre Forest, said UKIP will also contest all 14 of the district council seats up for election in 2014, as well as putting forward candidates in the European Parliament elections next year.

He added: “To get two winners and five second places is an absolutely phenomenal achievement. A lot of hard work’s gone into this.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever had a full set of candidates at the county council elections. In 2009, it was just myself and Tony [Baker] standing.

“The result here has resonated across the country. We’ve got to get people back into politics.

"We’re attracting all kinds of people, who are coming from all walks of life.

Mr Baker took the St Mary’s division from district council cabinet member, Conservative Nathan Desmond, and Mr Kitson defeated Independent Community and Health Concern’s (ICHC) John Thomas in Stourport.

Mr Baker said: “I feel a little shell-shocked. The people have spoken – we certainly seem to have changed the political landscape.”