THE coming local elections are well and truly a family affair, with seven husband and wife teams joined on party lines as well as by marriage lines to fight seats.

In the blue corner in York are Conservative group leader John Galvin and his wife, Valmai, fighting the Wheldrake and Acomb wards respectively.

Mrs Galvin said today: "We have fought elections together before. It doesn't generate any friction, we enjoy it."

Coun Galvin added: "I am delighted my wife is standing. She would be a real asset to a future Conservative group."

Waving the red flag for Labour in the city are three sets of political partners, with executive member for transport Tracey Simpson-Laing and her husband, Iain, standing in the Acomb and rural West York wards.

Also in the red corner are the current Sheriff of York, Martin Brumby, defending his marginal Heslington seat, and his wife, Annette, the Sheriff's Lady, fighting Rural West York.

Bernard Bell and his wife, Doris, make up the trio, standing in the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe and Haxby and Wigginton wards respectively.

Doris Bell said: "I will be giving my husband my full support. We won't be arguing over who can get the biggest majority!" An established political pairing in York is that of Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway, wife Sue, both standing in the Westfield ward.

Coun Galloway said: "As we have represented different wards in the past it has been a question of seeing relatively little of each other.

"Now we are campaigning in the same ward because of the boundary changes Sue has been grateful that I have been able to take her out every night.

"Whether the Chinese take-away at the end of the night is quite what she was expecting is another matter."

In Ryedale, flood campaigners Di and Howard Keal, from Norton, continue the husband and wife team theme by standing in the town's East and West wards for the Liberal Democrats.

Howard, who is standing in the East, said: "It's a case of East meets West. Hopefully we will be happy if we can both come out of it with a seat. We hope people turn out to vote."

Updated: 11:26 Wednesday, April 02, 2003