BARNOLDSWICK town council has "lost its independence" from Pendle after the Liberal Democrats took control, members have claimed.

In Thursday's elections, the party won six of the town council's eleven seats, making it the only one in Pendle with party-political representatives.

Parish and town councils in the borough have remained non-political since the introduction of Pendle Council's area committees, where ward councillors from particular areas make key decisions in their own towns.

Under the system, parish and town councils exist in a mainly advisory capacity to the borough's party representatives.

Councillor Harry Purcell, one of the five remaining independent town councillors, said: "In the election, 592 people voted for me but I can't represent them because the Liberal Democrats have totally taken over.

"All six of them are borough councillors too, so we are being run as part of the West Craven Committee.

"This council has always been non-political and it should stay that way."

Until this year, the council was run on a co-optive basis, without holding elections.

Liberal Democrat members had taken seats, but had not campaigned as a party.

But Councillor David Whipp, a senior Liberal Democrat and member of the town, borough and county council, said party members had "always stood with their colours proudly on their chests."

He said the independent councillors had "sour grapes" over the election, and called the complaints "absurd".

He said: "Such people should have no place in political life.

"We put our policies in front of Barlickers and they voted for us - we pledged to reduce the time and money spent on administration and actually do something rather than talk about the process.

"We were there in the beginning to make sure this council was set up 20 years ago, and they ought to remember that.

"I am disappointed that they persist in grinding axes rather than getting on with what's best for the town."