LABOUR is celebrating victory in an Oxford City Council by-election last night after its candidate Bob Timbs polled 784 votes to Liberal Democrat challenger Nathan Pyle's 487 votes.

The atmosphere at the Town Hall was tense before the count for the Lye Valley ward as Labour feared a backlash from the party's troubles on the national stage.

But the mood soon turned in Labour's favour as it became clear the party had secured a majority of 297 on a relatively high turn-out of 30.9 per cent.

The by-election followed the resignation of Labour councillor Dan Paskins earlier this year.

The Conservative candidate Judith Harley polled 150 votes and Larry Sanders for the Green Party received 64 votes.

A jubilant Mr Timbs, of Normandy Crescent, Cowley, said after the result was declared shortly after 11pm: "I am gobsmacked. I thought it was going to be really tight.

"We won on local issues, people know me as chairman of the Horspath Road Residents' and Tenants' Association and they know they can rely on me."

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, who was at the count, said: "This is a resounding victory for us. The Lib Dems tried to make something of the national situation, but Labour and Bob Timbs were addressing the issues that people really care about."

Mr Timbs said his priority would be to campaign against family homes being turned into multi-occupancy dwellings badly looked after by landlords.

Following the Lye Valley by-election, Labour remain the largest party on the city council with 18 councillors, the Liberal Democrats have 17, the Greens eight, Independent Working Class Association have four and there is one independent.

Lye Valley result

  • Bob Timbs (Labour) 784
  • Nathan Pyle (Liberal Democrat) 487
  • Judith Harley (Conservative) 150
  • Larry Sanders (Green Party) 64

Turn-out 30.9 per cent