Election result: Lib Dems win Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election to take seat from Tories

She beat her closest rival Conservative candidate Jaqui Renton by 251 votes to take the seat on Harrogate Borough Council which was left vacant following the resignation of Conservative councillor Samantha Mearns.

There were four candidates standing in the by-election and Hannah Gostlow won with 635 votes, while Jaqui Renton received 384.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Miss Gostlow, who has been a member of Knaresborough Town Council for six years, said: "We are really pleased as a party - and I'm really pleased to have this opportunity to step up to the borough council.

"I want to thank residents for their support and encouragement throughout our campaign.

"I will continue my work to make Knaresborough a wonderful community, campaign to protect our green spaces and also push for sustainable transport."

The full results are:

Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrats - 635

Jaqui Renton, Conservative - 384

Sharon-Theresa Calvert, Labour Party - 91

Harvey Alexander, UKIP - 11

Both Jaqui Renton and Sharon-Theresa Calvert said they were disappointed with the results and thanked voters who turned out in support of them.

Mrs Renton, who was standing in her first election, said: "Hannah was a good candidate, I worked hard, but she worked hard as well and the result has happened.

"This election has been interesting and a good experience. I have met a lot of lovely people during the campaign which I thoroughly enjoyed.

"A lot of people voted for me as well which is wonderful. Thank you so much to those, I'm so grateful, and also thank you to the staff who have run the count tonight."

Mrs Calvert added: "It is disappointing but I know I ran a positive campaign - I had policies and forward thinking.

"I want to give a big thank you to those people who came out and voted for me."

Voter turnout was 31% (1,124 votes) and there were two spoiled ballots.

Also at tonight's count, Liberal Democrat Andy Bell won a seat on Knaresborough Town Council which was also left vacant by councillor Mearns.

The full results for this vote are:

Andy Bell, Liberal Democrats - 570

Jaqui Renton, Conservatives - 351

Sharon-Theresa Calvert, Labour - 108

Voter turnout was 30% (1,031 votes) and there were two spoiled ballots.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter