Tories washed out at marathon Wakefield Council election count delayed by flash flood and recounts

The election count at Thornes Park Athletics Stadium was delayed due to flooding caused by torrential rain and one of the wards, Wakefield Rural, going to a third recount.

There was a dash for sandbags during the afternoon as rainwater seeped into the building and onto the results declaration area.

But returning officer Gillian Marshall assured people that the count would continue, announcing: "The show must go on."

The disruption did not dampen Labour's spirits as they took 20 out of 21 seats up for grabs.

The Lib Dems had the day's only other success by defending Knottingley ward.

Olivia Rowley retook a seat on the council after winning Ossett ward for Labour, a year after she was de-selected by the party in Wakefield East.

Coun Rowley took the seat from the Conservatives, who did not have a candidate after Angela Taylor withdraw from the election.

Katrina Law became only the second Labour candidate - and the first since 1995 - to win in Wakefield South, beating Tory candidate Naeem Formuli by 69 votes.

The seat had been held by Karl Johnson, who stood in the ward as an independent after resigning from the Conservative Party in January.

A gruelling day for the Tories finally ended after ten hours, when Ian Sanders was ousted by Labour's Jordan Bryan by just 14 votes.

The result was not announced until 7.30pm after the votes were re-counted three times.

Earlier in the day, Simon Fishwisk lost Horbury and South Ossett to Labour's Gwen Page.

Labour now hold 49 councils seats on Wakefield Council.

The Tories have seven, the Lib Dems three and there are four independent councillors.

Other notable Labour victories went to deputy council leader Jack Hemingway (Stanley and Outwood East) and cabinet members Margaret Isherwood (Wakefield North), Maureen Cummings (Crofton, Ryhill and Walton) and Michael Graham (Wakefield West).

New members voted onto the council include Labour’s Armaan Khan (Normanton), Jakob Williamson (Hemsworth), Brian Mayhew (Pontefract South) and Hannah Appleyard (Pontefract North).

The Lib Dems have a new councillor as Rachel Speak held onto Knottingley for the party with 1,398 votes.

Coun Speak replaces former Lib Dem group leader Tom Gordon, who has been named as the parliamentary candidate for the Harrogate constituency.