TWO by-elections in Prime Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency have resulted in defeats for Labour.

The death of two Labour councillors in Spennymoor and Shildon prompted by-elections on Thursday, which resulted in two Liberal Democrats being elected to Sedgefield Borough Council.

Councillor Jim Everson died in January.

His Middlestone Moor seat has been taken up by Liberal Democrat Kevin Thompson, who defeated his Labour opponent, Myra Smith, by 35 votes.

Spennymoor Lib-Dems said this was a 25 per cent swing to the party.

Leading Liberal councillor Ben Ord said the issue on which the seat was contested was the 12.5 per cent increase in council tax, which he claimed made a band D property in Sedgefield borough one of the highest charges in the county.

In Shildon, the Thickley ward seat was won by independent councillor David Hancock, who gained 751 votes against 361 votes for Labour candidate Robert Ingledew.

The seat had become vacant after the death of Councillor John Sedgewick.

Deputy leader of the borough council, Councillor George Chaplin, said: "It is disappointing both in Shildon and Middlestone after all the work we have done. From the Labour Party point of view they have done a tremendous amount, and to lose a seat in Shildon is unbelievable. We had good Labour councillors before this and had two good candidates, and we had great expectations."

In Spennymoor, a vacancy on Spennymoor Town Council caused by Coun Everson's death was filled by Labour councillor Christine Kennedy.