Council bosses have admitted the wrong candidate was declared the winner in a town council election - the second official error regarding the May 4 local polls in East Lancashire to come to light.

The count for the Marsden West ward for Nelson Town Council was told Labour's Patricia Hannah-Wood has been elected.

But the presiding officer had read out the two candidates' names in the wrong order, and in fact Conservative candidate Julie Green was the victor.

To change the officially declared result, someone would have to challenge it in the High Court.

Ms Hannah-Wood was also elected to the Central ward of Colne Town Council at the same vote, meaning she currently sits on two town councils in Pendle.

The mistake, uncovered by the Lancashire Telegraph, follows the revelation that the elections in two marginal wards of the deadlocked Ribble Valley borough could have to be re-run after an error by council officials.

Ribble Valley Council poll staff mistakenly registered several households in Whalley & Painter Wood ward in the neighbouring Whalley Nethertown ward.

Incumbent Conservative Ged Mirfin, who was defeated by just six votes, is now set to petition the Election Court of the High Court to overturn the result.

The member of the public who brought the result in Nelson to light said: "Many residents of Marsden West think their town councillor is Labour's Patricia Hannah-Wood. This is far from the truth.

"Their true town councillor is in fact Conservative candidate, Julie Green. The presiding officer was given the results in the incorrect order,

"It will now have to go to court, costing local taxpayers thousands and could take up to six months."

Rose Rouse, Pendle Council's returning officer and chief executive, said: "This was a simple human error which unfortunately wasn't picked up during the additional checks made at the count.

"I apologise to the candidates, election agents and voters for this mistake.

"We will be putting measures in place to prevent this from happening again."

A candidate or a group of at least four eligible voters can petition the Election Court of the High Court which has the power to declare the result void and either declare another candidate as elected, or order a new election to be held.