A HOUSEWIFE opened up her front room yesterday to the 117 voters in her east Cleveland village.

Marian Cane's home in Redcar Road, Dunsdale, was used by the electorate of the village to vote in a by-election for Guisborough Town Council.

Her front room was one of six polling stations for an electorate of 5,917, who could choose one of three candidates for the vacancy in the six-seat Guisborough ward.

Mrs Cane's house, between Guisborough and Redcar, has been used as one of the council's 98 polling stations for nearly every local and General Election since 1992, except last year when there was a postal ballot.

A council spokesperson said: "It is not every day a front room is used as a polling station and we are very grateful to Mrs Cane once again."

The other polling stations were at Park Lane Infants School, Stump Cross Community Centre, Sunnyfield House, Upleatham Methodist Church and De Brus Way Community Centre.

The candidates to succeed Councillor John Hale (Conservative) who resigned because of work commitments are Denise Bunn (Labour), Alan Elliott (Independent) and John Hassan (Conservative). The results will be known today.