TORIES were surprised and bewildered as they became the biggest party in Colchester.

The party won an extra four seats to overtake the Liberal Democrats and are on course to lead Colchester Council for the next two years.

Leaders from all three main parties will be in talks over the coming days to form a joint administration to take Colchester forward.

The council now comprises 28 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats, six Labour, two Highwoods Independents and one other independent. No single party has overall control/

Colchester Council Elections results

Key to parties: Con: Conservative, Lab: Labour, Lib Dem: Liberal Democrats, Ind: Independent, Ind: Independent, H Ind: High Woods Group Independent. Full Results (*denotes sitting councillor)

BERECHURCH WARD David Harris (Lab) 504 Pauline Hazell (Con) 394 Craig Sutton* (Lib Dem) 757 Turnout 29 per cent

CASTLE Malcolm Cannon (Lab) 296 Pauline Lucas (Con) 566 William (Henry) Spyvee* (Lib Dem) 1,189 Turnout 35 per cent

DEDHAM AND LANGHAM Carolyn Catney (Lib Dem) 180 John (Christopher) Garnett* (Con) 991 Ian Yates (Lab) 84 Turnout 50 per cent

EAST DONYLAND Peter Byham (Ind) 159 Andrew Raison* (Lab) 428 Patricia Sanderson (Con) 296 Barry Woodward (Lib Dem) 93 Turnout 49 per cent

HARBOUR David Canning (Lab) 275 Susan Harper (Con) 292 Justin Knight* (Lib Dem) 594 Turnout 27 per cent

HIGHWOODS Paul Booker (Lib Dem) 507 Shahid Husain (Con) 423 Beverley Oxford* (H Ind) 807 Hugh Thomas (Lab) 163 Turnout 30 per cent

LEXDEN Helen Bayliss (Lib Dem) 569 Donald Henshall* (Con) 1,194 Alan Trudgian (Lab) 154 Turnout 41 per cent

MARKS TEY Richard Gower* (Con) 517 Patrick Mead (Ind) 83 John Wood (Lab) 134 Martin Verran (Lib Dem) 106 Turnout 39 per cent

MILE END Brian Jarvis (Con) 681 Peter Mecklenburgh (Lib Dem) 631 Janet Smith (Lab) 166 Turnout 27 per cent

NEW TOWN Glenn Bath (Con) 483 Peter Higgins* (Lib Dem) 972 David Hough (Lab) 302 Turnout 27 per cent

PRETTYGATE Luke Dopson (Lab) 208 John Gray* (Lib Dem) 1,151 Ron Levy (Con) 1,304 Turnout 45 per cent

ST ANDREWS Anne Allan (Con) 357 Tina Dopson (Lab) 823 Ralph Johnston (Lib Dem) 378 Turnout 22 per cent (Sitting councillor Don Quinn (Ind) stepped down)

ST ANNES Angus Allan (Con) 464 Gaik-Choon (AKA Helen) Chuah* (Lib Dem) 998 Robert Fisher (Lab) 361 Turnout 28 per cent

ST JOHNS Derek Smith (Con) 587 Paul Smith* (Lib Dem) 929 Mark Warner (Lab) 160 Turnout 38 per cent

SHRUB END Roger Buston (Con) 777 Barry James (Lib Dem) 737 Kim Naish (Lab) 512 Turnout 34 per cent (Sitting councillor Amanda Arnold (Con) stepped down)

STANWAY Andrew Ellis (Con) 1,027 Gwendoline Ilott* (Lib Dem) 839 John Spademan (Lab) 285 Turnout 35 per cent

TIPTREE John Elliott* (Ind) 741 Richard (AKA Dick) Martin (Con) 925 Alan Mogridge (Lab) 590 Turnout 38 per cent

WEST MERSEA John Bouckley* (Con) 1,581 Audrey Spencer (Lab) 329 John Stevens (Lib Dem) 316 Turnout 39 per cent

WIVENHOE CROSS John Galpin (Lib Dem) 356 Eugene Kraft* (Con) 420 Aulay MacKenzie (Lab) 129 Turnout 23 per cent

WIVENHOE QUAY Jeremy Jacobs (Lib Dem) 293 Robert Newman* (Ind) 476 Thomas Prosser (Lab) 322 Ann Quarrie (Con) 629 Turnout 44 per cent