JUBILANT Tories tightened their grip on Ribble Valley Council at the expense of incoming borough mayor Frank Goss and former mayor Jenny Grimes.

The council also has its first clergyman in Whalley vicar Chris Sterry, but the far-right BNP failed to win seats in the five Clitheroe wards where it fielded candidates.

Sabden councillor Frank Goss, who was due to be sworn in as Ribble Valley Mayor later this month, was the first Liberal Democrat casualty after losing his seat to Tory Michael Fielding by 291 votes to 393.

He said he was bitterly disappointed at missing out on the mayoralty, but praised Sabden villagers for recording the highest electoral turnout in the borough, with 61.1 per cent.

Former Ribble Valley Mayor Jenny Grimes was the second Liberal Democrat to fall after losing her Langho seat to Tory John Stanley Taylor.

Boundary changes meant the number of seats on the council increased from 39 to 40, with Tory Edward Ranson taking the extra seat in Waddington and West Bradford.

Clitheroe Mayor Mary Robinson was first past the posts for one of two seats in the Primrose ward of Clitheroe, beating BNP candidate Ivan Duxbury.

She said: "I have worked very hard for this and it was worth getting up at six this morning to knock on doors in my constituency."

Coun Robinson, who was re-elected for Primrose alongside fellow Liberal Democrat Allan Knox, said she was glad the BNP had been shown the door.

And Liberal Democrat leader Frank Dyson was also jubilant after 500 voters in the St Mary's ward of Clitheroe gave him the thumbs-up.

He was embroiled in a heated exchange at a public inquiry into controversial plans to build a mosque in his Clitheroe ward.

Residents called for his resignation after he spoke in favour of the mosque at the inquiry, but he said voters had shown their maturity by re-electing him alongside Liberal Democrat newcomer Beverley Jones.

"My view on the mosque has been totally vindicated and the electorate of Clitheroe has shown its maturity, but I am disturbed by the size of the BNP vote," he said.

The BNP's Paul Frankland, a 27-year-old window-fitter, trailed home in fifth place, but still managed to gain 202 votes.

But the far-right group has pledged to return.

Peter McQuade, who stood in the Edisford and Low Moor ward, said: "I will challenging again four years from now.

"The Clitheroe branch of our party was only set up last September and we have done well to get this far. I will be back."

But John McGowan, who has been a councillor for 12 years, said: "This is a great day for the Labour Party in Clitheroe and the main thing is we have kept the BNP out of Edisford and Low Moor."

Ribble Valley Mayor Joyce Holgate romped home in Whalley, with vicar Chris Sterry grabbing the ward's second seat on the council.

Tory council leader Chris Holtom, who took his Wilpshire seat unopposed, added: "We've tightened our grip on the council, just as I thought we would, and this is great news."

He is expected to meet Liberal Democrat leader Frank Dyson over the next few days to choose a new mayor for the borough.

RIBBLE VALLEY 2003

CON 22

LAB 1

LIB 15

IND 2

(nb: One extra seat created in boundary changes)