Judge orders local election recount

Liberal Democrats say they should have won in Illogan

A judge has ordered a recount in an election battle that was won by a single vote.

Paul Holmes was declared the winner of the Illogan North seat on Cornwall County Council in the 7 June elections.

Four recounts took place before Mr Holmes, an official Cornish bard, was named as the victor.

But the rival Liberal Democrats challenged the result saying two votes counted in the winner's favour should have been rejected.

Full scrutiny

Cornwall is one of the last bastions of traditional liberals who opposed the creation of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1988.

On Wednesday, Mr Justice David Steele considered the case in the High Court in London.

Poll winner Paul Holmes is a Cornish bard

He directed that a senior court official should carry out a full scrutiny and recount of the ballot papers.

A date for the recount, which is likely to take place in private before a Master of the Queen's Bench Division, has yet to be set.

Feelings ran so high during the contest for Illogan near Redruth that the police were called.

The Lib Dems accused Mr Holmes of breaking election law by canvassing as people approached the polling station.

The polling officer dismissed the complaint and Mr Holmes was allowed to remain.

He scored 964 votes - one more than the Lib Dem candidate, Terry Rowe.