The Conservatives have lost overall control of Bury Council after Labour plundered four gains in the local elections.

Before this afternoon’s count, the Tories had 26 seats on the council - a majority of one.

Labour took three seats from the Tories and one from the Lib Dems, resulting in no single party in overall control at the town hall.

The make-up of the council now stands at: Conservatives 23, Labour 20 and Lib Dem 8.

Now the Lib Dems must decide if they want to hand control of the council to Labour or the Conservatives.

Council leader Bob Bibby, who retained his seat in Church ward, said: “I am disappointed with today but obviously our first priority was to secure the parliamentary seat in Bury North, which we have done.

“I am certain we will be back next year. We will be working together with the Lib Dems like we did two years ago. Hopefully, I will still be leader of the council.”

Labour leader Mike Connolly said: “I am absolutely delighted. We expected to gain two seats, but not four. It’s a big breakthrough. What happens now is up to the Lib Dems.”

Tamoor Tariq became one of the borough’s youngest-ever councillor at the age of 20 when winning the Redvales seat, keeping it a Labour stronghold.

Closest vote was a three-way nailbiter in Sedgley where Labour’s Alan Quinn wrestled the seat from the Lib Dem’s Andrew Garner by 171 votes, with the Tory candidate Jonathan Grosskopf in third place, just a further 88 votes behind.

Eighteen out of the council’s 51 seats were up for election.