BLACKBURN with Darwen Council's new Mayoress blasted the six breakaway councillors and called on them to resign.

Darwen Liberal Democrat councillor Karimeh Foster spoke out prior to taking the ceremonial chain of office with husband Coun David Foster.

The Mayoress, who was one the councillors put forward for the Tory and LibDem cabinet before their joint bid for power collapsed, said she would have had no choice but to go along with her party's wishes and work with the six rebels as part of a coalition

And one of the six, Coun Yusuf Jan-Virmani, was voted in as Deputy Mayor -- a move she said was on the cards before the defections after previous nominee Coun Ashley Whalley lost his seat.

But she took a swipe at the six independents for plunging the borough into a fortnight of turmoil. She said: "They put us all in a terrible position and messed up the whole council with their attitudes.

"I believe in democracy and when people cast their votes they take the party and the person.

"When you are elected to be a councillor under the name of a political party you should honour it. If you have a dispute with the party you should resign."