Labour's big hitters emerged unscathed in Hyndburn after voters headed to the polls to elect a new county council chamber.

In Hyndburn, Jeremy Corbyn's party defied a Lancashire-wide swing to the Tories to take five of the six county council seats on offer. The Tories took the sixth, but there were no effective gains made, despite a recount and some very close results.

A dramatic recount was called in the newly formed Great Harwood, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors ward where two seats were up for grabs, and candidates included Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson.

With Ukip and the Greens among seven candidates contesting the seat and over 12,000 votes cast, Conservative Patrick McGinley got within 26 votes of being elected, only for Coun Parkinson and Jenny Molineux to be elected for the Labour Party.

Overall, the Conservatives have taken control of county hall on a disappointing afternoon for Labour in Lancashire.

In Hyndburn, Coun Loraine Cox retained Labour’s hold of the Accrington North seat, taking over from previous representative Clare Pritchard.

She won with 1,976 votes compared to the Conservatives 1,142 votes and increased her majority.

County councillor Peter Britcliffe (centre) celebrating retaining his Oswaldtwistle seat. Pictured with (L-R) Councillor Tony Dobson, Clare Moore, Peter Moore and Sara Britcliffe.

Oswaldtwistle’s Conservative county councillor Peter Britcliffe achieved his largest ever majority of the vote as he retained his seat with 1,937 votes.

Labour came second with 936 votes followed by UKIP with 571 votes.

It was a tight race in Accrington South with Labour’s Bernard Dawson retaining his seat with a 90-vote majority.

He received 1,689 votes with the Conservatives coming second with 1,599 votes and UKIP in third with 296 votes.

Labour county councillor Munsif Dad increased his majority in the Accrington West and Oswaldtwistle Central ward by nearly 500.

He achieved 2,466 votes with the Conservatives coming second with 1,002 votes and UKIP in third with 227 votes.

The final seat totals were: Conservative 46, Labour 30, Liberal Democrat 4, Independent 2, Green Party 1, UKIP 1

County councillor Bernard Dawson (second from left) celebrating retaining his Oswaldtwistle South seat. Pictured with (L-R) councillor Joyce Plummer, Sandra Dwyer, Kay Jenkinson, and councillor June Harrison.

Hyndburn results (winner in capitals):

Accrington North

Josh Allen, Conservative - 1,142

LORAINE COX, LABOUR - 1,976

Accrington South

BERNARD DAWSON, LABOUR - 1,689

Kath Pratt, Conservative - 1,599

Stewart Scott, Ukip - 296

Accrington West and Oswaldtwistle Central

Judith Addison, Conservative - 1,002

MUNSIF DAD, LABOUR - 2,466

Kenneth Smith, Ukip - 227

Oswaldtwistle

PETER BRITCLIFFE, CONSERVATIVE - 1,937

Janet Brown, Ukip - 571

Colette McCormack, Labour - 936

Great Harwood, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors (previously Great Harwood, and Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors)

Two councillors elected

Bret Matthew, Ukip - 591

Patrick McGinley, Conservative - 2,824

JENNY MOLINEUX, LABOUR - 2,850

MILES PARKINSON, LABOUR - 2,926

Ann Scaife, Conservative - 2,686

John Taylor, Ukip - 435

Joan West, Green Party - 512