LABOUR maintained its overwhelming majority on Durham County Council with just a single seat changing hands in Thursday's election.

The only shock of the day came in Durham City's Gilesgate ward, where Liberal Democrat city councillor Dennis Southwell ousted Labour's Peter Thompson - a man touted in some quarters as a future leader of the authority - by 85 votes.

However, it was the seats that did not change hands which provided the election's most interesting stories.

Labour leader Ken Manton, who only weeks ago seemed to be in deep political trouble when deselected from his seat in Sedgefield, returned to office after winning in Bishop Auckland by a comparatively comfortable 400 votes over Lib Dem rival Chris Foote Wood.

Coun Manton, now clear favourite to win back his position as leader when the council's new Labour group meets later this month, said: "I think the question of my moving to Bishop Auckland from my old seat has been an issue, but when I have explained to people on the doorstep the background to it, they recognise that I have been an honourable man acting with integrity and that has been reflected in the result I have achieved."

He added: "The results of the election should be seen as a ringing endorsement of the work we are doing."

In Aycliffe, former county councillors Terry Hogan and Billy Blenkinsopp failed in their bid to be re-elected after quitting the Labour Party to stand as Independents.

In Aycliffe East, Coun Blenkinsopp, a borough councillor, lost by almost 950 votes to Labour's Sarah Jane Iveson. Despite polling nearly 1,000 votes in Aycliffe North, Mr Hogan finished more than 800 votes behind Labour's Keith Henderson.

A disappointed Coun Blenkinsop said: "Both myself and Terry would like to thank the people who supported us and we'll still do our best for the people of the area."

The closest result came in Shildon West, where Labour's Vernon Chapman won the seat by two votes over the Liberal Democrats after a second recount.

In Derwentside, Labour had hoped to win the Leadgate and Medomsley ward, captured in 2001 by Independent Watts Stelling by five votes. However, Coun Stelling, who also stood in the General Election in North West Durham, increased his slender majority to a much more comfortable 600 votes.

Labour increased its overall number of councillors by winning two extra seats created under a boundary reorganisation - Durham South and Ouston and Urpeth - while the Liberal Democrats regained the Newton Hall seat, vacant since the death in November of former councillor George Hunter.

The changes leave Labour on 53 seats, up one, the Liberal Democrats on five, up two, the Independents unchanged on three and the Conservatives unchanged on two.

It leaves Labour with a massive majority of 43 seats.

Liberal Democrat leader Coun Nigel Martin admitted to being disappointed with his party's failure to gain more ground.

"We are pleased with the seat we got and we came very close in several others. We would have liked to have done better in Durham City, but we were pleased to have made progress and our overall vote was good.

"I am disappointed to be honest that we didn't get something out of Wear Valley - particularly in Bishop Auckland Town."