A 28-year-old freelance sound engineer has become Chepstow's newest town councillor after winning a by-election on Thursday.

Tom Kirton, (pictured right) who grew up in St Anns Street in Chepstow, has been elected to the town council as a Labour councillor with a margin of victory of 94 votes.

"At first running for town council was a bit of a joke between me and Armand Watts the town mayor, but I started thinking about it seriously two or three months ago.

"When the need for a by-election was announced, Pam Birchall and Armand Watts asked me to run for it and I said 'yes'.

"Lots of people have come up to me and asked 'why are you not on the council'."

Tom will represent the ward of St Christopher's in Chepstow and he admitted to being a bit surprised at the outcome of the election. He said: "I was quite shocked when they announced that I had won and I didn't want to watch them counting the votes because I was too nervous.

"My mum was very excited when I told her the news and my aunty Marilyn is a long term Conservative member in Chepstow, and although I had just defeated her party she was really pleased for me."

Tom went to Chepstow Comprehensive school and then University of West England (UWE) where he studied fine art.

He released two records in 1998 under his music stage name Atomic Robokid and was a regular DJ at popular night-spots in Cardiff. He also runs the Chepstow Film Society and has taken part in Art on the Railings in the town.

He said: "I am going to try and look after the people of my ward.

"If they have got a problem I will try and sort it out for them.

"Someone needs to shout at the people in charge when things are not going right and now I am in the position to do that.

"If I was to describe myself I would say that I am stubborn and I have been brought up to feel bad if someone is being treated poorly."