A FORMER Seventies pop star has been elected as a councillor in a by-election.

David Van Day, who rose to fame in the late 1970s as one half of pop duo, Dollar, had previously stood unsuccessfully for the 2007 local elections in Brighton.

The born-and-bread Brightonian stood for the Conservatives in the Aveley and Upland ward on Thurrock Council in Essex, where he now lives.

And he won the seat, previously held by independent Tim Aker, by 222 votes.

Mr Van Day told the BBC he was “very happy” to have won after a “hard fought campaign”.

Mr Van Day sang with Thereza Bazar in the duo Dollar and had hits with Shooting Star and Hand Held in Black and White, among others

The singer also performed in a version of Bucks Fizz in the 1990s and was a competitor in ITV’s I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2008.

Thurrock Council is currently controlled by the Conservatives. The election results: Charles John Curtis (Labour) 394, David Van Day (Conservative) 773, Alan Field (Independent) 551, Thomas Pilvelis (Lib Dem) 55, Turnout 24.49%