North Pembrokeshire residents have been shocked by the abrupt departure of a county councillor, just three months after the election.

Councillor Liz Campion resigned her seat last week.

Stunned locals say she had worked hard for the last few years on a number of community initiatives.

St Dogmaels community council chairman, Cllr Melrose Thomas, said: “Liz was very supportive of the community.”

Liberal Democrat county councillor for the Dinas Cross ward, Bob Kilmister, worked with Cllr Campion for the last three years.

He said: “Her hard work and incredible energy will be sadly missed by her constituents.

“For me, her greatest attribute was her sense of fairness and her passion to protect our democratic principles. “St Dogmaels has lost a very special representative and the council has lost a great talent. Our task now is to carry on the work she started.”

Fellow Lib Dem, Mark Cole, a county councillor in Cardigan, said he was sorry that she was standing down.

He said: “I’ve known Liz for the last three years and know how committed and dedicated she has been to the people of St Dogmaels and Nevern.”

It is understood that Mrs Campion is suffering from ill health.

In the county council elections in May, Cllr Campion beat Independent candidate Mike James by 677 votes to 421. A by-election will now be held, and a poll will take place on Thursday, September 18th, if the seat is contested.