Four candidates – two from the Brexit Party, one Green and an independent – had dropped out of the race for the two local constituencies when nominations for the December 12 General Election closed at 4pm this afternoon.

That has left four candidates fighting each of the seats, which were both held by Conservatives at the last election.

The Brexit Party’s decision not to contest Conservative-held seats led to Alexander Waugh dropping out of the race for Bridgwater and West Somerset and Dr Penny Rawson for Taunton Deane.

Bridgwater and West Somerset also lost independent candidate Diogo Rodrigues, a former mayor of Bridgwater, who said he felt the chances of the Conservative candidate being defeated would improve if he stepped aside.

But the Green Party joined the race this week when it chose Mickie Ritchie as its candidate.

Aged 52, she has lived in the constituency for 15 years and is a guitar teacher and musician. She previously worked for the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

She has set up a community vegetable patch for a West Somerset-based charity and has organised fundraising events for the Green Party.

Earlier in her career she was a volunteer at the London HQ of Friends of the Earth whilst working in sales management and the charity sector.t

As reported last Thursday, the Green Party’s pact between the Lib Dems resulted in their Taunton Deane candidate, Clive Martin, withdrawing from the race. He had previously stood in the 2015 and 2017 elections.

Mr Martin said: “Our local members voted overwhelmingly for me to stand aside and I support their decision.

“Working with other parties for the common good is the right thing to do for the people of Taunton Deane.”

At the time of going to press yesterday, the candidates for the two constituencies were:

Bridgwater and West Somerset – Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con), Mickie Richie (Green), Bill Revans (Lib Dem) and Oliver Thornton (Lab).

Taunton Deane – Gideon Amos (Lib Dem), Liam Canham (Lab), John Hunt (Ind) and Rebecca Pow (Con).