Labour were the biggest winners in the Bradford Council elections as the results were declared early this morning.

The party gained the Bowling & Barkerend ousting deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Mohammed Jamil, and Keighley Central wards from the Conservatives. and also snatched the Manningham and Windhill & Wrose wards from the Liberal Democrats.

The Eccleshill seat, vacated by Lib Dem councillor Carol Beardmore who retired at the end of her term, was also taken by Labour.

The closest result came in Keighley Central, where Labour's Kaneez Akthar help off his Tory opponent Zafar Ali by 78 votes, following a recount.

All this means Bradford is still a 'hung' council. Labour now hold 44 seats on Bradford Council, the Tories 29, Lib Dems 11, the Green Party three, the BNP 2, with one independent.

Labour group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said talks would commence with the two major opposition groups "in the next few days" to form a working majority.

Results started to be declared at two counts, at Richard Dunn Sports Centre, Odsal, and at Keighley Leisure Centre, at around 5am.