INDEPENDENT candidate Stephen Purser won Teignbridge Council's Teign Valley ward on Friday with more than double the votes of his Tory opponent Francis Fulford – and 'lost'. Farmer Mr Purser, chairman of Bridford Parish Council, polled 751 votes to his opponent's 370. But his jubilation was short-lived when returning officer John Cocker disastrously announced 54-year-old Mr Fulford as the winner. At first it was thought that Mr Purser would have to mount a legal challenge to get the result overturned. 'In fairness to the other two parties they have come to me and said they will assist me. As it stands at the moment, even though I won the vote, I am not elected,' said Mr Purser soon after the result was announced at Newton Abbot racecourse. Mr Fulford said: 'It was a cock-up and I knew it as soon as I heard him say my name. I will not be objecting to any challenge. Mr Purser won fair and square.' More than a hour later the situation was resolved and Mr Purser was officially elected. The returning officers agreed with the agents that the result would be re-declared. 'I am delighted a sensible solution has been made and would like to thank Mr Fulford for not making an issue of it,' said Mr Purser. There was drama and shocks galore throughout the day as some heavyweights fell by the wayside, including executive members Jim Grimble (Bishopsteignton) and David Howe (College Newton Abbot), both Independents. It was the Independents who bore the brunt, losing seven of their 13 seats, with the Liberal Democrats taking five and the Tories two. The Conservatives made four gains from the Lib Dems, and the Lib Dems took two of the Tory seats. Overall, it left the district authority with 21 Lib Dems, 19 Conservatives and only half-a-dozen Independents. In Bishopsteignton, it was Lib Dem Alun Williams who ousted Jim Grimble, and in College, David Howe fell to the Lib Dem machine with Carol Bunday and Marie Jenkins making it a clean sweep. Cllr Grimble, a member of Teignbridge Council for 18 years and a former chairman of policy and resources, was executive member for assets. Disappointed, but wishing Mr Williams the best of luck, he said there had been lots of changes in Teignbridge. 'We have lost some characters, members of staff and councillors and it has turned political over the last four years. 'I hope that the future builds on the good of the past. I am retiring with my principles about the independence of local government intact and that is important,' said Cllr Grimble, who will continue to serve on Bishopsteignton Parish Council. Cllr Howe, who retained his seat on Newton Abbot Town Council, was hoping to celebrate his 60th birthday on Friday by returning to Forde House as well, but it was not to be. 'I am disappointed. I thought the campaign was going all right. Political parties tend to use these elections as a national opinion poll,' he said, adding tongue-in-cheek that he could now get his bus pass so at least he could get something out of Teignbridge. Immediately after the result he travelled to London to give away his daughter at her wedding. Cllr Howe has served on Teignbridge Council for eight years, some five of them on the executive. The deputy chairman of the district authority, Keith Smith (Lib Dem) – who moved from Newton Abbot's College to Bushell ward – lost his seat to Ken Lewis (Con), who four years ago was chairman of the council and lost out in Buckland and Milber after boundary changes. 'I am feeling a lot better than I was four years ago,' he admitted. One of the first shocks was in Ambrook, where sitting Lib Dem John Holl was soundly beaten by Mary Colclough (Ind) and Dennis Smith (Con). A switch of ward from Kingsteignton West to East did not pay off for Sandra Heath, who found herself bottom of the poll. The seat was won by Mike Walters (Con) with council chairman Beryl Austen scraping home by one vote from Tory Ted Chenery for the second seat after two recounts. A blue tide swept through Dawlish, where sitting Lib Dem councillor Wally Protheroe found himself ousted as Ted Hockin, Mary Mugford and Graham Price took the three seats, while there are four new faces among the half-a-dozen representing the three Teignmouth wards. Sylvia Russell, a former Teignbridge and Devon county councillor, gained one of the seats on East ward for the Tories, with David Weekes holding his place for the Lib Dems. But Vince Fusco was another Independent to face disappointment. While David Cox and Alex Cross took both West ward seats, there was a surprise exit for Fred Tooley. But the biggest shock in the seaside resort came in Central ward where Geoffrey Bladon (Con) and Roy Phillips (Ind) both found themselves voted off. Joining the council are Lib Dems Terry Falcao and Ian Parkes. Overall in the district elections there was an average turnout of electors of 41.15 per cent, compared with 36.63 per cent in 2003 and 32.69 per cent in 1999. The biggest turnout four years ago had been 51.5 per cent in Ipplepen. This time the village ward attracted 44.96 per cent, while the highest turnout, 56.6 per cent, was in Moorland where Mike Jeffery (Con) held on to the seat from John Willis by 60 votes.

Teignbridge Council results: Ambrook (two seats) – *Mary Elizabeth Colclough (Ind) 1042, Malcolm John Colegate (Ind) 330, *John Holl (Lib Dem) 759, Dennis Esmond Smith (Con) 849. (42.92 per cent turn out). Ashburton and Buckfastleigh (three seats) – Ann Davida Armstrong (Con) 1092, *Stuart Dennis Barker (Con) 1186, Lloyd Roland Fursdon (Lib Dem) 982, John Nutley (Lib Dem) 1111, Paul Roger Parker (Con) 1223, Anthony John Rew (Lib Dem) 907. (40.3 per cent). Bishopsteignton (one seat) – Trevor Colman (UK Independence Party) 244, *James Arthur Grimble (Ind) 375, Alun Frederick Williams (Lib Dem) 430. (46.88 per cent). Bovey (three seats) – Tony Allen (Lib Dem) 1301, Ingrid Juliana Andrews (Con) 1190, *Fernley Holmes (Con) 1457, *Anna Mary Klinkenberg (Con) 1466, Sally Angela Morgan (Lib Dem) 1554, Phil Page (Lib Dem) 1302. (48.18 per cent). Bradley Newton Abbot (two seats) – *Anne Fry (Lib Dem) 988, Geraldine Fey Gaskell (Con) 540, Michael John Hocking (Lib Dem) 940, Lorna Jean Lowes (Con) 481. (38.59 per cent). Buckland and Milber Newton Abbot (three seats) – *David John Corney-Walker (Lib Dem) 1215, Paul Herbert Gaskell (Con) 636, *Gordon Nicholas Hook (Lib Dem) 1456, *Robert John Leeper (Lib Dem) 1183, Emma Jane McMurray (Con) 498. (37.4 per cent). Bushell Newton Abbot (two seats) – Barry Benjamin Kaye (Lab) 216, Ken Lewis (Con) 625, *Shirley Joan Maddicott (Lib Dem) 580, *Keith Arnold Smith (Lib Dem) 537, Reg Wills (Ind) 411. (30.31 per cent). Chudleigh (two seats) – Bridie Cawley 597, Lorraine Margaret Evans (Con) 909, *Ray Frost (Ind) 1120, Mandy Wells (Lib Dem) 799. (45.09 per cent). College Newton Abbot (two seats) – Carol Ann Bunday (Lib Dem) 696, *David Howe (Ind) 496, Marie Bernadette Jenkins (Lib Dem) 575, Allan David Vizor (Con) 484. (33.71 per cent). Dawlish Central and North East (three seats) – Thomas Edward Charles Bush (Lib Dem) 1022, *Ted Hockin (Con) 1169, *Mary Margaret Mugford (Con) 1214, Graham John Price (Con) 1221, *Wally Protheroe (Lib Dem) 1106, Thomas Anthony Scobie (Lib Dem) 953. (37.89 per cent). Dawlish South West (two seats) – Jackie Bush (Lib Dem) 727, *Humphrey Hawkey Clemens (Con) 999, Derek Richard Collins (Lib Dem) 647, Rosalind Mary Prowse (Con) 925. (42.23 per cent). Haytor (one seat) – *Jeremy Owen Christophers (Con) 715, Mike Wood (Lib Dem) 344. (45.22 per cent). Ipplepen (one seat) – *Victor George Elliott (Con) 650, Amanda Jane Wiles (Lib Dem) 250. (44.96 per cent). Kenn Valley (two seats) – *Brian Harold Berman (Lib Dem) 1119, *Howard James Milton (Lib Dem) 1259, David John Short (Con) 884, Martin Phillip Smith (Con) 619. (43.6 per cent). Kenton-with-Starcross (one seat) – *Alan Michael Connett (Lib Dem) returned unopposed. Kerswell-with-Combe (two seats) – Anthony Reginald Ballinger (Con) 730, *Sheila Mary Cook (Lib Dem) 892, *Michael John Haines (Ind) 1167. (41.88 per cent). Kingsteignton East (two seats) – *Beryl Austen (Ind) 734, Ted Chenery (Con) 733, *Sandra Barbara Heath (Ind) 653, *Mike Walters (Con) 857. (33.98 per cent). Kingsteignton West (two seats) – *Joan Violet Lambert (Con) 755, Anne Lonsdale (Lib Dem) 655, Graham Paul Wickham (Lib Dem) 615. (34.28 per cent). Moorland (one seat) – *Michael Harold Jeffery (Con) 685, John Howard Willis (Lib Dem) 625. (56.6 per cent). Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead (one seat) – *Christopher Stuart Clarance (Con) 815, Anna Wrigley (Lib Dem) 185. (47.5 per cent). Teign Valley (one seat) – Francis Christopher Fulford (Con) 370, Stephen John Kinross Purser (Ind) 751. (50.88 per cent). Teignbridge North (one seat) – *Peter Bromell returned unopposed. Teignmouth Central (two seats) – *Geoffrey Frederick Charles Bladon (Con) 590, Edward Albert William Bush (Ind) 124, Terry Falcao (Lib Dem) 693, Bob Kennedy (Lab) 164, James Robert McMurray (Con) 468, Ian Norman John Parkes (Lib Dem) 710, Julie Phillips (Ind) 214, *Roy Gordon Phillips (Ind) 238. (43.02 per cent). Teignmouth East (two seats) – Donald Hugh Baldey (Lib Dem) 566, Brenda Mary Battershill (Ind) 294, Cecilia Ann Brown (Con) 453, Niall Thomas Duffy (Lab) 108, *Vince Fusco (Ind) 510, Alan Albert Lumb (Lab) 97, Sylvia Russell (Con) 726, *David John Weekes (Lib Dem) 742. (46.91 per cent). Teignmouth West (two seats) – Martin James Bladon (Con) 322, *David Nicholas Cox (Lib Dem) 685, Alex Cross (Lib Dem) 515, Mary Brenda Kennedy (Lab) 276, *Frederick Tooley 298, Colin Trigger (Con) 239, Christopher Charles Whitlock (Ind) 239. (36.93 per cent).