The red flag is flying high in Crawley again today after Labour held its grip on the borough council in the local elections.

Labour lost just one seat to the Conservatives and held seven out of eleven up for grabs.

The Conservatives held two and gained one and the Liberal Democrats held one.

That leaves the council with 23 Labour members, seven Conservatives and two Liberal Democrats.

Residents in four wards were able to vote without leaving home.

People in Bewbush, Broadfield, Ifield and Southgate took part in a pilot project of all-postal voting.

Turnout was increased by about 25 per cent and all parties declared it a success.

The seat that fell was Furnace Green, where Brenda Brockwell edged out Ray Calcott by almost 400 votes.

Conservative leader Richard Burrett said: "We are very pleased with the result. We have three new excellent councillors on the council because we also won the two seats in Pound Hill North.

"I think as a result of tonight's results we will have a better opposition and therefore a better council."

Labour leader Chris Redmayne said Labour would fight hard to get the Furnace Green seat back when the whole council comes up for election next year.

He said: "There are going to be boundary changes in place for that election so I am sure we will get it back."

Pound Hill North was expected to be one of the main battlegrounds but the Tories were the clear winners.

Two seats were up for grabs in the ward after one councillor stood down and another moved away from the area.

Results (* denotes sitting councillor):

Bewbush: Doug Murdoch* (L) 1,008; Corrine Bowen (C) 335; Kevin Osborne (LD) 207; Arshad Khan (JP) 64; Muriel Hirsh (Socialist Alliance) 46. L hold.

Broadfield: Brian Quinn* (L) 1,477; David Bowen (C) 688; Victoria Jones (LD) 275; Martin Badger (Socialist Labour) 89. L hold.

Furnace Green: Brenda Brockwell (C) 1,269; Ray Calcott* (L) 895; Roger McMurray (LD) 516. C gain.

Ifield: Ben Clay* (L) 1,294; Christina Belben (C) 548; Barry Hamilton (LD) 485; Richard Symonds (Ind) 285. L hold.

Langley Green: Brenda Smith* (L) 918; Keith Brockwell (C) 212; Edward Reay (LD) 159. L hold.

Northgate: Linda Seekings* (LD) 705; Nicholas Webber (L) 307; John Rolf (C) 104. LD hold.

Pound Hill North (two seats): Henry Smith (C) 866; Sally Blake (C) 844; David Green (L) 462; John Stephens (L) 451; Nigel Aldridge (LD) 198; David Barry (LD) 154; Christopher Hanlon (Official Monster Raving Loony) 48. C hold.

Southgate: Mary Mayne* (L) 1,225; Lee Burke (C) 784; Howard Llewelyn (LD) 413. L hold.

Tilgate: Colin Lloyd* (L) 720; Duncan Crow (C) 246; Darren Wise (LD) 185; Derek Isaacs (Socialist Labour) 65. L hold.

West Green: Bert Crane* (L) 629; Lisa Noel (C) 183; Lyndon Hamill (LD) 98. L hold.