It is understood that more people than ever before have signed up for a postal vote in Wirral.

As people prepare to vote in crunch elections to the borough's council, which could transform the politics of the local authority, it seems more people want to avoid polling stations given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Labour councillor Jo Bird said that over 50,600 people in Wirral had registered for a postal vote in this year's local elections.

Cllr Bird said that figure is the highest ever in the borough and an increase of 7,000 since December.

In her own ward of Bromborough there are 440 new postal voters.

The Labour councillor said she expects more votes to be cast in the next week than at polling stations on May 6, the date the election takes place.

It is understood that the figures Cllr Bird was quoting come from a snapshot produced for the period up to April 20.

The final confirmed figures have not yet been published, but will be after the deadline for registering to vote by proxy passes next week.

A high number of postal votes could have a major impact on the election result, particularly if it increases turnout as people submit their ballots in advance rather than having to decide whether to head to the ballot box on polling day.

Every vote will be crucial in Wirral Council's elections.

If Labour has a good night, it could regain the majority control of the council it lost in 2019.

But on a bad night for the party, it could lose seats and have its leadership of the authority seriously undermined.

Candidates standing in Bromborough are:

Anthony Drury (Conservative Party)

Chase Newton (Liberal Democrats)