A long-standing Tory councillor and former mayor has defected to the Wycombe Independents.

High Wycombe's Alan Hill was first elected at a by-election in 1989 and has served the town as a district and county councillor before joining the new Buckinghamshire Council.

The Abbey Ward councillor, who was the chairman of Wycombe District Council back in 2009, has decided to leave the Conservatives just months before the local elections, saying he just wants to "work hard for my town".

Cllr Matt Knight, who leads the Wycombe Independents, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Alan to our team. He is such an experienced and dedicated councillor with an impressive record of service to High Wycombe."

Last year, independent councillor Brian Pearce joined the group, as did former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Steve Guy.

Cllr Hill said: "I’ve never seen myself as a politician, I just want to work hard for my town.”