LIBERAL stalwart Tony Greaves became a two-time loser as the tide of Labour victory extended to the county council elections.

Labour captured Liberal Democrat seats in Burnley and Pendle - winning all six Burnley contests.

In Rossendale, only Tory Kathleen Holt prevented a clean sweep by Labour - holding on to her Bacup seat, albeit with a reduced majority.

But it was Coun Greaves' defeat which provided the shock of the day. The Pendle party powerhouse plummeted to his second defeat in hours as his long-held Colne county seat was captured by Labour in the biggest upset of the elections locally.

Coun Greaves, for years the rock of the Liberal Democrats in Pendle, was the "third man" at the general election poll, trailing in behind Labour's Gordon Prentice and Tory candidate, John Midgley.

He became the "missing man" of the county poll - literally "out for the count" as Labour's Tim Ormrod took his seat by a 197 vote margin.

Party workers were mystified by his absence and the Pendle Council deputy leader wasn't answering his phone.

"We simply don't know where he is," said a party spokesman as the votes were counted.

The result leaves Labour with three seats in Pendle, the Liberals with two and Conservatives retaining a single seat in the Brierfield and Pendleside area. Tory Sheila Derwent bucked all the trends by tripling her 1993 majority to keep the blue flag flying in Pendle.

In Burnley it was the flag of surrender for the opposition parties as they slumped to defeat, with only Liberal Democrat leader, Gordon Birtwistle - also third in the General Election poll - keeping the Labour majority down to three figures.

Lib Dem county councillor Linda Massey lost the Burnley party's only county seat by 1,100 votes to Labour stalwart Irene Roberts.

Labour agent Carole Gilbraith said much of the party's success was down to plain hard work by supporters - battling away on Peter Pike's campaign and the county elections while diverting half the troops into Rochdale to Labour unseat the Lib Dem MP, Liz Lynn

In Rossendale, Mrs Holt said she was stunned by her success.

Former Labour mayor David Easton demanded a recount but Mrs Holt, wife of Rossendale Council's Tory leader John, held on with an 88 majority.

Fears that a Socialist Labour Party candidate could split the vote in Haslingden, proved groundless as Robert Wilkinson held on to the seat with an increased majority.

Hazel Harding, next year's county council chairman, held Rossendale West.

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