A newly-elected councillor overturned a majority of nearly 1,000 to win his seat.
West Sussex county councillor Paul Wells took an Arun District authority seat for the Liberal Democrats in a tight three-way fight.
UK Independence Party came third, only 44 votes short of the winner in the previously safe Tory ward of Aldwick East.
The by-election yesterday was caused by the death of councillor Robin Brown, who secured more than 1,200 votes when elected in May 2011.
The results were Paul Wells (Lib Dem) 383, Bill Smee (Conservative) 357, Janet Taylor (Ukip) 339, and Richard Dawson (Labour) 61.
This was a swing of 21% from Conservatives to Liberal Democrats.
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