PONTLLANFRAITH Leisure centre campaigner and former Mayor of Blackwood selected as Plaid Cymru Islwyn Westminster Candidate.

Plaid Cymru have announced that Blackwood South Town Cllr Zoe Hammond will contest the Islwyn constituency in the Westminster election.

Cllr Hammond campaigned as part of the ‘Save our leisure Centres’ group that successfully overturned the Labour led council’s decision to close Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre earlier this year. She also has the previous distinction of being Blackwood’s youngest mayor.

Cllr Hammond will now challenge the incumbent MP, Chris Evans, for the seat.

Following ratification by the party’s National Executive Committee, Ms Hammond said: “I am delighted at being given the support of my fellow members in my home constituency and I thank them for the faith they’ve placed in me.

“I got into politics because I want to make a practical difference to people’s lives and it is an honour for me to have opportunity to do so in the area where I was brought up.”

“I grew up in Pontllanfraith, and went to school at the local primary, and then Oakdale Comprehensive.”

“Islwyn is a part of me, it’s more than that its my home.

"I cannot think of a greater privilege than to represent the place where I’ve lived, worked and raised my children at Westminster”

Cllr Hammond currently works as a Support worker in the care industry.