ASTONISHING election drama saw Labour lose a quarter of their seats in an emotional dawn result.

Cheers of joy rang out at 4am last Friday, as Lib Dems more than doubled their seats from six to 14 and Conservatives trebled their numbers from two to seven.

Labour held on to 35 but lost many long serving councillors.

"We hoped to make some gains, but this result exceeded our expectations," said Lib Dem leader, Cllr Mike Hodgkinson, whose wife Kathy, snatched Labour's heartland Halton Brook from long serving Widnes councillor and executive board member Stan Hill - by just 40 votes.

In a cliffhanger, Lib Dem's Kelly Marlow defeated Labour by a single vote after two recounts in Windmill Hill.

Victorious Lib Dems were celebrating after adding Beechwood, Daresbury and Mersey to their conquest.

Mayor elect, Cllr Dennis Middlemass was ousted. Deputy mayor elect, Cllr Pat Tyrrell could wear his chain of office a year earlier than expected, if the Labour group approve.

It would create another vacancy on the executive board as he would have to quit his social care and health portfolio.

In Widnes, the Conservatives swept the board, taking Birchfield and Fairfield.

Halton MP Derek Twigg conceded that a protest vote may have cost Labour some seats. He said: "We're mid term in a second Labour government, it is not unusual to have some sort of protest vote for whatever reason. It's disappointing we've lost some good councillors but we still maintain a strong healthy majority.

"We have to learn some lessons, listen to what people want and respond. We've got to do better. We've got to look towards the next election, try and improve and get things right."