A LONG-serving Conservative councillor says she has been left ‘devastated’ after her party deselected her.

Middleton Stoney mum-of-four Catherine Fulljames, who was first elected to Oxfordshire County Council in 1989, claimed to have been ‘flung out’ despite loyal service.

She will instead stand as an independent candidate in the Ploughley division, one of 63 up for grabs on May 4.

Ian Corkin, of Fewcott, has instead been selected as the Tory candidate.

Mrs Fulljames yesterday insisted she had been left ‘dumbfounded’ by the switch, as well as ‘hurt’.

She said: “I work very hard and have been a staunch supporter of the Conservatives – but I have been flung out.

“I have done nothing wrong and no one has told me why. I’m devastated by the decision really, because I feel that I still have a lot to offer and plenty of experience that has allowed me to help lots of people in my division.”

Mrs Fulljames had been encouraged to stand as an independent by friends and local people, she said.

She added her support for a so-called Oxfordshire ‘super council’ may have been a factor in her deselection, but declined to comment further on the matter.

Her decision to stand anyway is understood to have caught others in the North Oxfordshire Conservative Association by surprise. But one party source yesterday denied it was connected to the super council plan, opposed by many Tories in Cherwell district.

Association chairman John Colegrave also said: “Any member willing to be a candidate will be considered. That is per the guidelines set by the Conservative Party and the due process was followed.”