THE Tories have seized overall power in Bury for the first time since 1986.

They gained full control of the council, leaving Labour feeling the blues.

Three seat gains were needed by the Tories to wrestle outright control and they did exactly that - amidst high drama.For the Redvales ward was the final result of the night to be announced, with the Tories still needing a third gain.And there were huge cheers as Tory candidate Ijaz Ahmed defeated Labour's Susan Southworth by a 372 majority.The Lib Dems had a good night as they won the seat in St Mary's, Prestwich, from Labour.The make-up of the council is now: Conservatives 26; Labour 16; and Liberal Democrat 9.Tory leader, Councillor Bob Bibby admitted it was a nail-biting night but he was very happy with the outcome."I am absolutely delighted. After three years of trying, we have finally achieved what we set out to do."In the last 12 months we have been in power, we have given the people of Bury a good sustainable budget with a low council tax increase."He continued: "We came so very near in East ward, a Labour stronghold. It proves our policies are working, and we are going in the direction the country wants."The overall turnout was 38.14 per cent, around the same figure as last year.RESULTS (* denotes sitting councillor):

BESSES * Derek Boden (Lab)...1,084 Julie Baum (Lib Dem)...614 Adele Douglas (Con)...584 Stephen Morris (English Dems)...354 Majority...470 LABOUR HOLD

CHURCH * Roy Walker (Con)...2,425 Linda Chesters (Lab)...789 Julia Kay (BNP)...292 Tamsin Thomson (Lib Dem)...287 Majority...1,636 CONS HOLD

EAST * John Byrne (Lab)...1,148 Azmat Husain (Con)...1,023 Emma Davison (Lib Dem)...384 Majority...125 LABOUR HOLD

ELTON * Yvonne Creswell (Con)...1,861 Simon Carter (Lab)...775 Robert Sloss (Lib Dem)...405 Majority...1,086 CONS HOLD

HOLYROOD * Vic D'Albert (Lib Dem)...1,632 Matthew Hague (Con)...852 Benjamin Shatliff (Lab)...669 Majority...780 LIB DEM HOLD

MOORSIDE * Dot Cassidy (Lab)...1,279 Angela Cane (Con)...1,197 Phil Sedman (BNP)...317 Nissa Finney (Lib Dem)...223 Victor Hagan (Ind)...130 Majority...82 LAB HOLD

NORTH MANOR * Dorothy Gunther (Con)...2,694 Nick Parnell (Lab)...577 Ewan Arthur (Lib Dem)...338 Tom Nuttall (BNP)...162 Lynette Mitchell-Male (Ind)...66 Majority...2,117 CONS HOLD

PILKINGTON PARK * Michelle Wiseman (Con)...1,908 Gill Campbell (Lab)...637 Wayne Burrows (Lib Dem)...304 Majority...1,271 CONS HOLD

RADCLIFFE EAST Sam Hurst (Con)...1,384 Daisy Johnston (Lab)...907 Tom Rosser (BNP)...466 Mike Halsall (Lib Dem)...308 Majority...477 CONS GAIN

RADCLIFFE NORTH Jackie Harris (Con)...1,656 * Tim Chamberlain (Lab)...1,265 Peter Hallows (BNP)...472 Lynn Molloy (Lib Dem)...220 Majority...391 CONS GAIN

RADCLIFFE WEST * Tony Isherwood (Lab)...1,187 Bernard Slingsby (Con)...727 Stewart Clough (BNP)...484 Joanne O'Hanlon (Lib Dem)...175 Harold Greenhalgh (UKIP)...89 Majority...460 LABOUR HOLD

RAMSBOTTOM * Barry Theckston (Con)...2,010 Val Robinson (Lab)...872 Janet Turner (Lib Dem)...354 Majority...1,138 CONS HOLD

REDVALES Ijaz Ahmed (Con)...1,465 * Susan Southworth (Lab)...1,093 Brian Jepson (BNP)...317 Paul Jenkins (Lib Dem)...302 Mike Harling (Ind)...104 Bill Brison (no description)...98 Majority...372 CONS GAIN

SEDGLEY * Ann Garner (Lib Dem)...1,488 Jonathan Grosskopf (Con)...1,238 Frank Adam (Lab)...906 Majority...250 LIB DEM HOLD

ST MARY'S Mary D'Albert (Lib Dem)...1,308 Kevin Lee (Lab)...1,013 Raymond Soloman (Con)...692 Majority...295 LIB DEM GAIN

TOTTINGTON * Roger Brown (Con)...1,700 Jane Lewis (Lab)...614 David Foss (Lib Dem)...456 Reg Norris (BNP)...210 Majority...1,086 CONS HOLD

UNSWORTH * Sam Cohen (Con)...1,821 Ann Audin (Lab)...1,165 Theo Tymczyna (Lib Dem)...248 Majority...656 CONS HOLD