Senior Tories spoke of their delight today after retaining an overwhelming majority at Forest Heath District Council, despite making a net loss of one seat.

Senior Tories spoke of their delight after retaining overwhelming majorities in elections in Suffolk.

Att Forest Heath District Council, despite making a net loss of one seat, Thursday's result leaves the Tories with 22 councillors at the district council, with opposition from two Liberal Democrats, one Independent and two from the newly formed Forest Heath Independence Alliance Party (FHIAP).

In Brandon East, the three existing Conservative councillors held off stiff competition from town chairman and UKIP candidate Reg Silvester and Independent Cyril Brown. Council stalwart Bill Bishop beat his son-in-law Tony Wojtasz (Ind) to one of the seats at the Brandon East ward. Five seats were uncontested and there was an overall turnout of more than 30pc.

In St Edmundsbury the Tories gained even more seats to monopolise the borough - now occupying 36 of the council's 45 spaces on another successful showing at the polls.

But election success was slightly marred by some of the poorest turnouts across East Anglia.

And the party strengthened its grip on Mid Suffolk, increasing their lead over the Liberal Democrats and winning overall control.

But it was a dismal showing for Labour who lost both their seats, and now have no representation on the authority.

The biggest upset was in the north of the district where the newly-formed Suffolk Together alliance gained two seats with strong support from residents opposing controversial proposals for a multi-million SnOasis development.

The authority's new line up is: Conservatives 22, Liberal Democrats 10, Independents 4, Green 2, Suffolk Together 2.