TWO former Liberal Democrat councillors who left the party 16 months ago to sit as Free Independents have joined Labour.

Husband and wife Bill and Margaret Brindle quit claiming 'bullying' by the leader of their group on Burnley Council Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, a fellow Deerplay and Coalclough ward representative.

On Tuesday they officially joined Labour.

Cllr Mrs Brindle said: "This took a lot of consideration and deliberation."

Rosehill with Burnley Wood LibDem Cllr Jeff Sumner said: "This has not come as a surprise , we have been waiting for them to jump ship to Labour for a while now."

Cllr Tony Martin, chair of Burnley Labour Party said: I am delighted."

This takes Labour up to 25 out of Burnley's 45 councillors. Four other former LibDems sit as The Burnley and Padiham Independent group.