LABOUR topped the poll for the European Elections in Warrington.

But the party polled just 1,001 more votes than a buoyant UKIP.

The Conservatives were third while the Liberal Democrats were a distant fourth, ahead of the Greens.

It was a similar result across the north west, with Labour edging UKIP.

Both parties will have three MEPs and the Tories two.

Long standing Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies lost his seat. BNP leader Nick Griffin was also booted out.

The count was held on Sunday to tie in with Europe after the local election results on Friday.

The turnout was 32.64 per cent.

Despite topping the poll, it was as worrying a night for Labour as it was the Conservatives with a General Election just one year away.

An insider told the Warrington Guardian there was concern within the Labour party locally about the number of UKIP votes in the inner wards of the town where the party would usually dominate.

The results in full in Warrington:

Labour   16237

Ukip   15236

Conservatives   10782

Liberal Democrats   3898

Green Party   2875

An Independence from Europe   735

BNP   685

English democrats   628

Pirate Party   369

No2EU   121

Socialist Equity Party 111