A TYLDESLEY Liberal Democrat councillor this week apologised to voters after he announced his defection to the Labour Party. Cllr Graham Lingings, who has represented Hindsford Ward for 13 months, told The Journal that he wanted to go back to his Labour roots and that he was sorry for letting people down. It leaves just one Liberal Democrat and one Conservative member of Wigan Council to oppose 69 Labour councillors.

He said: "It's been a bit of a torment. I have thought long and hard over the last few months about my decision to go across to Labour and feel now I have made the right decision.

"To all the people who voted for me I wish to apologise because you may quite rightly be feeling let down. Please don't be because I want to reassure you that I will always be the same person that you voted for and will always do what I can for yourselves and the community." Cllr Lingings, aged 47, a civil servant, from Tyldesley, held Hindsford in last year's May 4 election by just 56 votes after a recount.

It followed a bitter campaign which led to claims of dirty tricks including alleged poison pen death threats to Labour rival Mark Aldred and ex-mayor Cllr Evelyne Smith.

But just a few weeks after the election, Cllr Lingings met with the Labour group in talks about closer co-operation.

And on Tuesday evening, Cllr Lingings broke the news to Lib Dem colleague Cllr Robert Bleakley of his defection. Cllr Lingings said: "He was a bit upset but we had a talk, and the talking will continue."

He said he had initially joined the Lib Dems because he had been inspired by Cllr Bleakley's enthusiasm: "The Liberal Democrats seemed to have more get up and go which I admired. But I just found it hard to disassociate myself with Labour Party ideals. All of my adult life I have voted Labour. The only exception to this was in early 1999 when I had occasion to have a liaison with the Liberal Democrat Party who at the time seemed to offer more in terms of approach and application to matters at hand."