A Wisbech councillor who found love, moved to Lincolnshire and kept in touch via email, has finally quit his seat.

Councillor Stephen Brunton won the Octavia Hill ward in 2015 but a year ago left his Railway Road home in the town and moved to Lincolnshire.

He said last year he had considered resigning much earlier but decided against it as he believed a by-election, costing £7,000, would not be “a good use of town reserves.”

He said: “However should anyone says I am not able to represent them I will consider whether it is right to stand down.”

He has timed his resignation so that should a by election be called – as is expected- it will be held on the same day as county council elections and the first poll for the newly elected Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor.

Councillor Steve Tierney said last year he hoped people wound find Cllr Brunton’s love story “understandable and endearing.”

This week Cllr Tierney wrote that Cllr Brunton “has been consistently active and helpful in every area.

“He has turned up at the crack of dawn to help set up festivals and rolled home long after the sun set.

“He has worked alone and with other councillors to resolve issues on behalf of his constituents.”

He added: “Many people will have seem him as a volunteer manning the first aid tent on many occasions and some will have been helped with an injury or sickness by him.

“A year or so ago Stephen met a lady and the two fell in love. They have now moved in together and begun planning their future. But they are living outside the area and Stephen has recently sold his property here.

“Stephen has resigned from town council, timing that resignation to avoid costs and bureaucracy to the Town Council and the people of the Town. He sent a lovely letter thanking the people of the town and the council for the opportunity to serve.

“Hopefully we can all thank Stephen for his hard work and diligence and wish him and his partner nothing but the best for the future.”

A town council spokesman revealed last year that they kept in touch with Cllr Brunton mainly via email.