LABOUR managed to increase their overwhelming majority on Easington District Council by taking two more seats.

The result leaves the party holding 47 out of the 51 seats on the council, with the other four divided equally between the Liberal Democrats and the Independents.

As the last vote was counted at Peterlee Leisure Centre, MP John Cummings declared that "Easington remains a Tory-free zone".

Just three Conservative candidates fought for seats in the Horden South, Seaham Harbour and Seaham North Wards - each being beaten into last place.

Such is Labour's domination of Easington that only half of the 20 wards were contested by the opposition parties and there were few shocks on the night.

With the results in nine wards announced before midnight, the swift proceedings were only delayed by a recount in the Passfield ward of Peterlee, where Independent Joan Maslin easily topped the poll with 749 votes.

But it was the slim margin between the remaining three Labour candidates battling for two of the three seats which prompted the recount.

After less than ten minutes returning officer Janet Johnson revealed that the district's former vice-chairman, Brian Joyce, with 557 votes, had been pipped at the post by Gary Johnson with 562 and Don Milsom with 565.