THE last remaining British National Party councillor in East Lancashire has said he is ready to work closely with his new Conservative colleague.

Defeat for Adam Grant in Nelson’s Marsden ward at last week’s borough elections left Coun Brian Norton Parker the sole remaining elected BNP representative for the area.

Newly-elected Tory councillor Tommy Cooney secured the seat, his party’s first gain in the town for some time, by 37 votes.

And Coun Parker said: “We would like to wish Coun Cooney well.

"Adam Grant served the ward well and was elected twice, as a town and borough councillor.”

Coun Parker said he would still be campaigning alongside his BNP town council colleague, John Rowe, and they would be ‘happy to work with our Conservative fellow councillor for the improvement of the ward’.

The seat was also contested by former council leader Azhar Ali for Labour, who was third on 291 votes.

One contentious issue which emerged in the bitterly-fought campaign were the repeated delays in the reopening of Walton Lane bridge, an ongoing Network Rail project.

Pendle Council is now made up of 18 Conservative members, 18 Labour and 12 LibDem, and one BNP councillor.