The deputy mayor of Middlewich has resigned from the town council just five months after becoming a member of the authority.

Laura Turner joined the town council in March of this year following an uncontested election.

She becomes the sixth councillor to quit Middlewich Town Council in the past year.

Mrs Turner said she is leaving because she has a young family and wants to put them first.

In a video posted on Facebook, Mrs Turner said she had achieved a number of successes for the town since becoming a councillor and also under the Fight For Middlewich banner.

"As most of you know, I never wanted to be a councillor," she said in the video. "I know there's a lot of work involved. I have a young family so, from the outset, I knew it was something that was never really long term for me at this current moment in time."

She said she felt forced to become a councillor in a bid to do the best she could for the town.

The outgoing deputy mayor said she would continue as treasurer of the town's youth club and would continue working for the Fight For Middlewich campaign objectives.

In a reference to the clashes she has had with Cheshire East Council over her demands for Middlewich, she said: "I'll definitely still be smashing Cheshire East left, right and centre, so don't worry about that."

Earlier this month, it was revealed at a town council meeting that Middlewich Town Council is facing a £100,000 deficit this year – and has financial liabilities, including this shortfall, which total £260,000.

Cllr Turner had told a meeting of the full council on September 5, a £10,000 deficit had been anticipated but the council's financial planning had been scuppered by an £84,000 loss made by the Middlewich Folk And Boat Festival.

"We're now forecasting a £100,000 deficit within this year," she told the meeting.

At the same meeting, the town's recently appointed mayor, Cllr Colin Coules, listed a number of financial liabilities he said the council had become aware of.

Middlewich Town Council is now advertising the vacancy for a councillor for the Cledford ward, following Cllr Turner's resignation.

An election will be held if 10 electors in the ward contact the returning officer at Cheshire East Council in Sandbach requesting an election within 14 days of the date of the notice which was posted on Cheshire East's website on September 23.