IT was a night to forget for the Liberal Democrats and a cause of major celebration for UKIP and Nigel Farage.

But revolution failed to materialise at the Festival Hall as the people of East Hampshire firmly decided to maintain the status quo.

Thousands of people across the district went to the polls last Thursday to vote in the Hampshire County Council elections.

The results that came through in the early hours failed to throw up any surprises with the Conservatives retaining six of the district's seven divisions.

Tory stalwarts John West and Vaughan Clarke were comfortable winners in their respective Petersfield Butser and Hanger divisions. The pair notched 1,618 and 2,150 votes apiece – both nearly double their nearest opponents – to retain their seat for another four years.

The scene was also blue in Horndean and Clanfield as Marge Harvey recorded a margin of 761 to win the Catherington division.

The only "blot" on the political map of East Hampshire was the triumph of Liberal Democrat Adam Carew in Bordon, Whitehill and Lindford.

But it was otherwise a dreadful night for his party, with the fast-emerging UKIP coming runner up in all seven divisions.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.