The Conservatives tightened their grip on west Oxfordshire including a clean sweep of all five seats up for election in the main town of Witney.

Though they also lost a thriller in Carterton South ward by just one vote, the Tories now have 35 district councillors, a majority of 22.

The Lib Dems slipped down to eight while Labour is still just visible with sole councillor Eve Coles hanging on to her seat in Chipping Norton.

Tory group leader Barry Norton said: "The result is absolutely great. I'm particularly pleased we won every seat in Witney.

"The town now has all Conservative district councillors apart from one, Peter Green, who was one of us until he became an Independent.

"As a party things continue to go in the right direction for us."

The state of parties now is: Tory 35, Lib Dem 8, Independent 4, Labour 1. One remaining seat still has to go to the polls. The election in Carterton North East ward was postponed to a date yet to be decided after the death on April 21 of Keith Stone, sitting councillor and chairman of the district council.

The Lib Dems were disappointed by their poor showing in Witney where they not only lost two seats but also trailed behind the town's Labour vote.

Group leader Stuart Brooks said: "We have lost two experienced councillors in Witney but winning with Peter Madden in Carterton is an asset because he's been a councillor before.

"We are still the main opposition but we have to rebuild."

Eve Coles still represents Chipping Norton for Labour after winning with a 163 majority. She said: "I talk a lot to people around the town, so it is nice to still represent them."

There was no contest in one seat, Alvescot and Filkins. In the 14 where there was voting the overall turnout was 38.22 per cent, with the highest in Charlbury at 51.12 per cent.