THE deadline to check whether residents will be eligible to vote by post in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's postal ballot is next month.

A confidential free telephone line on (0800) 5878072 is in place to answer any questions in the run-up to the council's first fully postal ballot for the election on Thursday, May 1. To vote by post, residents must be registered by Tuesday, March 11.

Posters urging people to ensure they are on the electoral roll are on display across the borough. The electoral roll is available for inspection by appointment at Eston Town Hall.

The ballot paper will be delivered to the homes of the 100,000-plus electorate in a mauve envelope between April 16 and April 21.

The postal ballot also covers elections for the borough's five parish and town councils of Guisborough; Lockwood; Loftus; Saltburn, Marske and New Marske; Skelton and Brotton.