JOYFUL Labour supporters in Hyndburn are eagerly waiting for the General Election following another night of triumph at the polls.

For the third year running, the ruling party made big gains across the borough at the expense of the Conservatives.

They snatched seven seats from the Conservatives and ousted the last surviving Liberal Democrat to leave just three Tory opposition members in the 47-strong council chamber.

On a night when Doug Hayes, the deputy mayor, was thrown off the council, the only time the Conservatives got to cheer was when their leader Peter Britcliffe managed to hang on to his seat.

The result means that Mirza Yousaf will become East Lancashire's first Asian mayor later this month.

George Slynn, the leader of the council, said: "This was a double vote of confidence for the ruling group in Hyndburn and the Labour Party.

"We have moved from having a marginal council three or four years ago to becoming a party which now has a massive majority in Hyndburn."

Greg Pope, the borough's Labour MP, added: "This is clearly a vote of confidence in new Labour. People in Hyndburn have endured 17 years years of a failed Tory government and the message which has come out of tonight's results is that the General Election cannot come a moment to soon."

Peter Britcliffe's St Andrew's seat attracted the biggest turn-out, and speculation is mounting that he will be chosen to fight for the Hyndburn seat in the General Election following the departure of the disgraced Hugh Neil.

Coun Britcliffe said: "It is a night of mixed emotions for me. I am absolutely devastated that some of my closest colleagues have lost their seats and I cannot imagine how they are feeling.

"But tonight we have managed to hold on to Baxenden and St Andrew's and there is a slight improvement on last year's results.

"As far as my own personal result goes, I cannot thank the people of Oswaldtwistle enough for supporting me through these difficult times."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.