Coventry’s ruling Labour party was dealt a massive blow last night when they lost nine seats in the city council’s local elections.

A low turnout did not help the fortunes of councillors across the city as seats tumbled to Conservatives, Socialists and even the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives were the biggest winners of the evening, gaining seven seats and holding one.

They won back Bablake ward with Andrew Williams becoming the youngest councillor, aged just 24.

He captured the seat from Joan McCoy, who had been chair of the Human Resources committee steering the unpopular Single Status pay deal for council employees, with more than 2,200 of the 4,000 votes.

The Marconi software engineer said the result showed the city council needed "fresh blood".

Other captures by the Tories were in Cheylesmore, Earlsdon, Sherbourne, Whoberley, Woodlands and Wyken.

The Socialist Alternative (Nellist) party made it a hat trick of successes in St Michael’s ward, with Rob Windsor capturing the third seat to join Dave Nellist and Karen McKay on the council.

He said Labour had diverted campaigners away from other wards where seats were at threat to try and make sure the Socialists didn’t get an extra seat.

He said:

"It seems that even when they knew they were going to lose seats to the Tories they pumped people into this ward.

"We saw Patrick Walsh campaigning here when he lost his own seat in Sherbourne."

The 35-year-old Coventry Cyrenians worker, who organised anti poll tax campaigns in the 1980s, added that he would be campaigining against student fees and the "Tory" policies of the Labour council.

Derek Benefield won Upper Stoke ward for the Liberal Democrats giving them their first Coventry seat since Rick Burry lost his seat in 1991.

Derek said:

"We thought we deserved to win with the work we’ve been putting in for residents over the years.

"It will be difficult being the only Liberal Democrat for the next two years, but I will continue to deal with the appalling record of Coventry Council in care for the elderly."

Labour councilllors losing their seats included Colleen Fletcher, Lindsley Harvard, Patrick Walsh, Gillian Darby and John Mason.

Senior figures also suffered a scare, with former Lord Mayor John Mutton winning by just 43 votes in Binley and Willenhall from the Conservative candidate David Farren.

And Bob Waugh, chairman of the Economic Affairs committee scraped home in Westwood by just 93 votes.

New Conservative councillors include husband and wife team Hazel and Michael Noonan, who won in Cheylesmore and Wyken ward respectively.

Peter Stidworthy (Whoberley), Catherine Harper (Earlsdon), Anthony O’Neill (Woodlands) and David Arrowsmith (Sherbourne) were the other new victorious Conservatives.

Conservative leader Tim Sawdon said:

"The Conservative voice will be a voice to be reckoned with. We have almost doubled in size. This will enable us to be more forceful against this arrogant Labour council."