A Whitehaven councillor has announced he will stand in the upcoming Parliamentary by-election in Copeland as an independent candidate.

Michael Guest, a Copeland borough and Whitehaven town councillor, has become the sixth person to announce their candidacy for the hotly anticipated by-election to replace Labour's Jamie Reed on Thursday, February 23.

Mr Guest, 72, an ex-Army medic, says he is standing to represent those "dissatisfied with party politics".

Also confirmed to be standing on February 23 are Trudy Harrison for the Conservatives, Gillian Troughton for Labour, Fiona Mills for Ukip, Rebecca Hanson for the Liberal Democrats and Jack Lenox for the Green Party.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Jamie Reed, who has taken a job at Sellafield.