FRESHBROOK/GRANGE PARK; CON GAIN: Tory Peter Greenhalgh swiped the Freshbrook and Grange Park ward from right underneath the noses of the Lib Dems.

Coun Greenhalgh took 42 per cent of the vote, pipping Liberal Democrat candidate Tracy Fisher who picked up 39.5 per cent of the vote.

The ward has been a Lib Dem stronghold for some time. In 2003 they took 46 per cent of the votes while in 2002 they took 41 per cent.

Labour party candidate Sarah Bush took just over 17 per cent of the votes.

The proposals for the new football stadium at Shaw were felt to be looming large during this year's election.

Coun Greenhalgh said: "It has been challenging and good fun to get to this point.

"Listening to residents of Freshbrook and Grange Park, there are key issues that many people in the area feel they have been let down on by the Liberal Democrats."