ROSSENDALE council remained in Labour control yesterday as Tory hopes of an upset vanished in the polling booths.

Conservative leader Cllr Brian Essex was happy with his party's showing in Thursday's local elections.

He said: "We are very pleased. We did far better than the party - or indeed Labour - nationally.

"It was a very satisfactory performance.

"We are snapping at Labour's heels and they they know that."

Labour now have 19 councillors plus the suspended Pam Bromley voting with them after losing Stacksteads to Independent Terry Haslam Jones.

They also saw Healey and Whitworth taken by a second Community First candidate Dayne Powell.

Its former Labour councillor Sean Serridge secured the former Tory ward of Cribden in Rawtenstall by just nine votes.

Labour's leader Alyson Barnes said: "It was a good result . We will continue to try and bring cash into the borough and mitigate the effects of government cuts and protect the vulnerable."