LABOUR has held on to four North-East councils at yesterday's local elections.

In Hartlepool, the party kept control of the council despite UKIP making gains, taking two seats from Labour and one from Putting Hartlepool First.

Hartlepool's Labour council leader Christopher Akers-Belcher held onto his seat by just 80 votes.

Labour also held on to Newcastle, South Tyneside and Sunderland councils.

In South Tyneside, the Conservatives lost their only seat on the authority.

The overall turnout was 33.8 per cent, compared to 58.8 per cent in 2015, with 38,835 votes out of a total electorate of 114,981.

The new political make-up of the council is: Labour - 53  and one Independent – Putting People First.

In Sunderland, Labour maintained control although the Lib Dems secured their first councillor since 2012.

Electors in North Tyneside voted to keep their elected mayor.

A total of 57.5 percent voted to in favour of keeping the current system of having an Elected Mayor and Cabinet.

The turnout in the mayoral referendum was 56,605 (36.6 percent).

Elsewhere in the region, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Craven and Harrogate councils will announce their results later today.