Wins for independents and Tories at Oldham's local elections

With Labour expected to buck the national trend and lose seats on the authority, opposition candidates expected to gain - and while many independents did, it was disappointment for the Liberal Democrats.

Their night was summed up well by leader Cllr Howard Sykes who, at gone 5am, labelled it a "tough gig" as his party failed to make a single gain in all 20 wards while also losing Hazel Gloster's seat in Shaw.

He said: "It's been a hard fought campaign and we've clearly suffered a setback, it's a tough gig.

Cllr Garth Harkness won his seat by a staggering 500 votes (Image: Newsquest)

"I want to thank everybody who stood for us and came out to vote.

"We are the hardest working party on the council and we will be back."

Massive strides were made by the independents after they claimed five seats to take their tally to 16, to show that they are a real player in the game, but it was also a huge night for the Conservatives.

Nationally, the local elections has been a bad day at the office for Tory party, but not for its Oldham members.

The Labour councillors, candidates and supporters all enjoy an early morning takeaway by the ballot papers (Image: Newsquest)

Against the odds the Conservatives managed to hold onto their eight seats, and even by what Cllr Lewis Quigg called a "solid majority".

In the Saddleworth South ward Cllr Max Woodvine won by almost 300 votes, while Cllr Quigg held his Royton North seat after beating off Labour candidate Clint Phythian by more than 400 votes.

He said: "The night is now over, we haven't gained anything but we haven't lost any against the national trend.

"We won with a solid majority in my ward and in Saddleworth South and that's what we were after."